Modified Polyethylene Blown Film Compositions Having Excellent Bubble Stability

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to polyethylene compositions comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, in particular, this invention further relates to polyethylene blends comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′ vis  value less than 0.75; 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups as determined by  1 H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more, as determined by GPC; 5) an average number of carbon atoms between branch points of 70 or more as determined by  1 H NMR.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 13/302,446, filed Nov. 22, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS

This invention is related to U.S. Ser. No. 61/538,703, filed Sep. 23, 2011 and U.S. Ser. No. ______ (Attorney docket number 2012EM163, filed), entitled “MODIFIED POLYETHYLENE FILM COMPOSITIONS” which is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 12/904,428, filed Oct. 14, 2010, published as US 2011/0118420, which claims priority to and the benefit of 61/279,127, filed Oct. 16, 2009.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to branched modifiers, polyethylene compositions comprising an ethylene based polymer, and a branched modifier and films thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For many polyolefin applications, including films and fibers, increased melt strength and good optical properties are desirable attributes. A higher melt strength allows fabricators to run their blown film lines at a faster rate. It also allows them to handle thicker films in applications such as geomembranes.

Typical metallocene catalyzed polyethylenes (mPE) are somewhat more difficult to process than low-density polyethylenes (LDPE) made in a high-pressure polymerization process. Generally, mPEs (which tend to have narrow molecular weight distributions and low levels of branching) require more motor power and produce higher extruder pressures to match the extrusion rate of LDPEs. Typical mPEs also have lower melt strength which, for example, adversely affects bubble stability during blown film extrusion, and they are prone to melt fracture at commercial shear rates. On the other hand, mPEs exhibit superior physical properties as compared to LDPEs. In the past, various levels of LDPE have been blended with the mPE to increase melt strength, to increase shear sensitivity, i.e., to increase flow at commercial shear rates in extruders; and to reduce the tendency to melt fracture. However, these blends generally have poor mechanical properties as compared with neat mPE. It has been a challenge to improve mPEs processability without sacrificing physical properties.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0260016 discloses blends of linear low density polyethylene copolymers with other linear low density polyethylenes or very low density, low density, medium density, high density, and differentiated polyethylenes, as well as articles produced therefrom.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,451 discloses ethylene/butene/1,9-decadiene copolymers, and ethylene hexene vinyl norbornene copolymers (see Tables I and II). The decadiene terpolymers disclosed are designed to be used alone and not in blends for improved processability/property balance. The relatively high MI of the resins suggests that they would not be suitable in blends which exhibit improved extensional strain hardening.

Patil, et al., “Rheology of Polyethylenes with Novel Branching Topology Synthesized by Chain Walking Catalyst,” Macromolecules, 2005, 38, pp. 10571-10579 discloses dendritic PE produced from chain walking catalyst. The dendritic PE prepared by chain walking catalysts has extensive short and long chain branches with combined branch density of greater than 100 branches per 1000 carbon. The extensive short chain branching leads to amorphous polymers which have limited use in mixtures with semicrystalline polyethylene resins of commercial interest. Additionally, these polymers are prepared at low temperatures and extremely low pressures, both conditions that are not commercially attractive. Additionally, blends are not disclosed in this paper and there is no mention of blown film compositions.

Ye, et al., “Chain-Topology-Controlled Hyperbranched Polyethylene as Effective Polymer Processing Aid (PPA) For Extrusion of a Metallocene Linear-Low-Density Polyethylene (mLLDPE),” J. Rheol., 2008, 52, pp. 243-260 discloses that the processability of Exceed™ 1018 Polyethylene, in terms of melt fracture, could be improved with an addition of the hyperbranched PEs made from chain walking polymerization at more than 3 wt %. Because the hyperbranched PE is immiscible with mLLDPE, it was speculated that the hyperbranched PE forms phase-separated droplets, which can migrate to the die surface and form a lubricating layer promoting extrudate slippage.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,010 discloses blown films with improved optical properties produced from blends of linear metallocene PE with high MW HDPE. While the optical properties as measured by haze are improved over unblended film composition, the mechanical properties as measured by Dart Impact suffer a significant deterioration.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0118420 discloses dendritic hydrocarbon polymer and process for the production thereof. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0118420 also states in the background section, that “ . . . [w]hile LCB technology has been a part of the polyethylene industry since the 1930's, there is still a need to further optimize the type and availability of LCB polyethylenes and other polymers. A useful, inexpensive blend additive in the form of a LCB polymer could significant[ly] impact the processing/performance balance for polyethylenes, particularly the multi-billion dollar market for polyethylene films and molded articles. There could be even greater use in polypropylene, where there is currently little commercially viable technology for incorporating LCB. There is also a need for LCB polymers in the EPDM elastomer market.”

Other references of interest include: Guzman, et al. AIChE Journal May 2010, vol. 56, No 5, pg. 1325-1333; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,595; 6,509,431; 6,870,010; 7,687,580; 6,355,757; 6,391,998; 6,417,281; 6,114,457; 6,734,265; and 6,147,180.

We have discovered that certain branched hydrocarbon modifiers will advantageously improve processability of polyethylene without significantly impacting its mechanical properties. Moreover, addition of these branched hydrocarbon modifiers provides a means to change such properties on a continuous scale, based on real-time needs, which is typically not possible due to the availability of only discrete polyethylene grades. Furthermore, a different set of relationships between processability and properties is obtained, compared to those available from traditional polyethylenes and their blends with conventional LDPE, which allows for new and advantageous properties of the fabricated articles.

More particularly, the present invention relates to polyethylene compositions having improved properties such as melt strength or extensional strain hardening, without substantial loss in blown film, dart impact, MD tear, or other mechanical properties. Additionally, the films produced from these compositions exhibit surprisingly excellent optical properties as measured by lower film haze.

Further, this invention relates to polyethylene compositions having improved bubble stability. Previous attempts to remedy the situation by addition of long-chain-branched PEs such as LDPE or other branched PEs (U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,010) have resulted in decreased mechanical properties. Some of the blown films blended with branched PE additives additionally suffered from poor optical properties, e.g., the existence of gel particles. There is an industry wide need to find modifiers that improve processability without loss in mechanical properties, and more preferably with enhancement in one or more mechanical properties.

The current invention solves the problem by using a crystalline long-chain-branched hyper branched polyethylene (disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/302,446) that is effective in improving processability at very low concentration levels (1%). The films produced from the 1% blend of this crystalline long-chain-branched hyper branched PE with Exceed™ 2018CA PE exhibit the following combination of properties, among other things, which have not been possible in the prior art: a) free of gel and excellent optical properties; b) improved film processability in terms of bubble stability, film gauge variation; and c) enhanced MD/TD tear and no loss in most of the mechanical properties except impact strength.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to polyethylene compositions comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers.

This invention further relates to polyethylene blends comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′_(vis) value less than 0.75; 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups as determined by ¹H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more, as determined by GPC; and 5) an average number of carbon atoms between branch points of 70 or more as determined by ¹H NMR.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative 3rd generation dendritic structure.

FIG. 2 depicts the reaction scheme of Example 1 herein.

FIG. 3 shows a representative structure of dendritic polymer synthesized and corresponding ¹H NMR spectrum for Example 1 herein.

FIG. 4 depicts linker molecular weight (red) and insertion efficiency T3/T2 (blue) versus catalyst loading (Cyclooctene/Catalyst) for Example 1 herein.

FIG. 5 depicts the reaction scheme of Example 2 herein.

FIG. 6 shows ¹H NMR spectra of the dendritic polymer of Example 2 herein before hydrogenation (top) and after hydrogenation (bottom) with peak assignments.

FIG. 7 shows that the neat dendritic PE synthesized exhibits extensional hardening as measured by SER (Sentmanat Extensional Rheometer).

FIG. 8 shows that extensional strain hardening can be observed in mLLDPE containing 1% and 3% dendritic PE additives as measured by SER (Sentmanat Extensional Rheometer).

FIG. 9 shows overlaid DSC (Differential Scanning calorimetry) traces of mLLDPE film, neat dendritic PE, and mLLDPE containing 1% dendritic PE additive.

FIG. 10 depicts the reaction scheme of Example 3 herein.

FIG. 11 shows ¹H NMR partial spectrum of Example 3 herein before hydrogenation with peak assignments.

FIG. 12 shows the extensional strain hardening observed in blends of Exceed™ 2018 LLDPE containing 3% Modifier DPEY3 as measured by SER (Sentmanat Extensional Rheometer).

FIG. 13 is infrared dichroism of neat Exceed™ 2018 Polyethylene blown film and 1% DPEY2 blend blown film.

FIG. 14 presents illustrations of Cayley tree topology.

FIG. 15 presents illustrations of Cayley tree layer numbers.

DEFINITIONS

An “olefin,” alternatively referred to as “alkene,” is a linear, branched, or cyclic compound of carbon and hydrogen having at least one double bond. For purposes of this specification and the claims appended thereto, when a polymer or copolymer is referred to as comprising an olefin, including, but not limited to ethylene, hexene, and diene, the olefin present in such polymer or copolymer is the polymerized form of the olefin. For example, when a copolymer is said to have an “ethylene” content of 35 wt % to 55 wt %, it is understood that a mer unit in the copolymer is derived from ethylene in the polymerization reaction and said derived units are present at 35 wt % to 55 wt %, based upon the weight of the copolymer. A “polymer” has two or more of the same or different mer units. A “homopolymer” is a polymer having mer units that are the same. A “copolymer” is a polymer having two or more mer units that are different from each other. A “terpolymer” is a polymer having three mer units that are different from each other. The term “different” as used to refer to mer units indicates that the mer units differ from each other by at least one atom or are different isomerically. Accordingly, the definition of copolymer, as used herein, includes terpolymers and the like. Likewise, the definition of polymer, as used herein, includes copolymers and the like. Thus, as used herein, the terms “polyethylene,” “ethylene polymer,” “ethylene copolymer,” and “ethylene based polymer” mean a polymer or copolymer comprising at least 50 mol % ethylene units (preferably at least 70 mol % ethylene units, more preferably at least 80 mol % ethylene units, even more preferably at least 90 mol % ethylene units, even more preferably at least 95 mol % ethylene units or 100 mol % ethylene units (in the case of a homopolymer)). Furthermore, the term “polyethylene composition” means a blend containing one or more polyethylene components.

As used herein, the terms “polypropylene,” “propylene polymer,” “propylene copolymer,” and “propylene based polymer” mean a polymer or copolymer comprising at least 50 mol % propylene units (preferably at least 70 mol % propylene units, more preferably at least 80 mol % propylene units, even more preferably at least 90 mol % propylene units, even more preferably at least 95 mol % propylene units or 100 mol % propylene units (in the case of a homopolymer)).

As used herein, the terms “polybutene,” “butene polymer,” “butene copolymer,” and “butene based polymer” mean a polymer or copolymer comprising at least 50 mol % butene units (preferably at least 70 mol % butene units, more preferably at least 80 mol % butene units, even more preferably at least 90 mol % butene units, even more preferably at least 95 mol % butene units or 100 mol % butene units (in the case of a homopolymer)).

For purposes of this invention and the claims thereto, an “EP Rubber” is defined to be a copolymer of ethylene and propylene, and, optionally, diene monomer(s), chemically crosslinked (i.e., cured) or not, where the ethylene content is from 35 wt % to 80 wt %, the diene content is 0 wt % to 15 wt %, and the balance is propylene; and where the copolymer has a Mooney viscosity, ML(1+4) @ 125° C. (measured according to ASTM D1646) of 15 to 100. For purposes of this invention and the claims thereto, an “EPDM” or “EPDM Rubber” is defined to be an EP Rubber having diene present.

For purposes of this invention and the claims thereto, an ethylene polymer having a density of 0.86 g/cm³ or less is referred to as an ethylene elastomer or elastomer; an ethylene polymer having a density of more than 0.86 to less than 0.910 g/cm³ is referred to as an ethylene plastomer or plastomer; an ethylene polymer having a density of 0.910 to 0.940 g/cm³ is referred to as a low density polyethylene; and an ethylene polymer having a density of more than 0.940 g/cm³ is referred to as a high density polyethylene (HDPE). For these definitions, density is determined using the method described under Test Methods below.

Polyethylene in an overlapping density range, i.e., 0.890 to 0.930 g/cm³, typically from 0.915 to 0.930 g/cm³, which is linear and does not contain long chain branching is referred to as “linear low density polyethylene” (LLDPE) and can be produced with conventional Ziegler-Natta catalysts, vanadium catalysts, or with metallocene catalysts in gas phase reactors and/or in slurry reactors and/or with any of the disclosed catalysts in solution reactors. “mLLDPE” is an LLDPE made by a metallocene catalyst.

“Linear” means that the polyethylene has no long chain branches; typically referred to as a g′_(vis) of 0.95 or above, preferably 0.97 or above, preferably 0.98 or above.

Composition Distribution Breadth Index (CDBI) is a measure of the composition distribution of monomer within the polymer chains and is measured by the procedure described in PCT publication WO 93/03093, published Feb. 18, 1993, specifically columns 7 and 8, as well as in Wild et al, J. Poly. Sci., Poly. Phys. Ed., Vol. 20, p. 441 (1982) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,204, including that fractions having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) below 15,000 are ignored when determining CDBI.

Mw is weight average molecular weight, Mn is number average molecular weight and Mz is z average molecular weight. MD is machine direction. TD is transverse direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to polyethylene compositions comprising one or more ethylene polymers (preferably linear ethylene polymers) and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers (also referred to as the “modifier” or the “branched modifier”).

This invention further relates to polyethylene blends comprising one or more ethylene polymers (preferably having a g′_(vis) of 0.95 or more) and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′_(vis) value or 0.75 or less (preferably 0.70 or less, preferably 0.65 or less, preferably 0.60 or less, preferably 0.55 or less, preferably 0.50 or less, preferably 0.45 or less, preferably 0.40 or less, preferably 0.35 or less, preferably 0.30 or less); 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups (preferably 0.75 or more, preferably 1.0 or more, preferably 1.2 or more, preferably 1.50 or more) as determined by ¹H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more (preferably 110° C. or more, preferably 120° C. or more, preferably 125° C. or more) as determined by DSC; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more (preferably 100,000 g/mol or more, preferably 150,000 g/mol or more, preferably 200,000 g/mol or more, preferably 500,000 or more) as determined by GPC; 5) an average number of carbon atoms between the branch points of 70 or more (preferably from 140 to 5400, preferably 215 to 3600, preferably 350 to 1800) as determined by ¹H NMR; 6) optionally, an Mw/Mn of 3 or more (preferably 4 or more, preferably 5 or more, preferably 6 or more, preferably 7 or more, preferably 8 or more, preferably 9 or more, preferably 10 or more, preferably 12 or more, preferably 15 or more, preferably 20 or more); 7) optionally, less than 5 short chain branches (preferably 4 or less, preferably 3 or less, preferably 2 or less, preferably 1 or less, preferably zero) per 1000 carbons as determined by ¹³C NMR; and 8) optionally, an average Mw between the branch points is from 1000 to 100,000 g/mol (preferably from 2000 to 75,000, preferably 3000 to 50,000, preferably 5000 to 25,000) as determined by ¹H NMR.

In another embodiment of the invention, this invention relates to a composition comprising:

1) from 99.99 wt % to 50 wt % (preferably from 75 wt % to 99.9 wt %, preferably from 90 wt % to 99.9 wt %, preferably from 95 wt % to 99.5 wt %, preferably from 96 wt % to 99.5 wt %, preferably from 97 wt % to 99.5 wt %, preferably from 98 wt % to 99 wt %), based upon the weight of the blend, of an ethylene polymer having:

a) a branching index, g′_(vis), (determined according the procedure described in the Test Method section below) of 0.95 or more, preferably 0.97 or more, preferably 0.98 or more, preferably 0.99 or more;

b) a density of 0.860 to 0.980 g/cc (preferably from 0.880 to 0.940 g/cc, preferably from 0.900 to 0.935 g/cc, preferably from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cc);

c) an Mw of 20,000 g/mol or more (preferably 20,000 to 2,000,000 g/mol, preferably 30,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol, more preferably 40,000 to 200,000 g/mol, preferably 50,000 to 750,000 g/mol); and

2) from 0.01 wt % to 50 wt % (preferably from 0.1 wt % to 25 wt %, preferably from 0.1 wt % to 10 wt %, preferably from 0.25 wt % to 5 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 4 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 2 wt %), based upon the weight of the blend, of a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier(s), wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′_(vis) value less than 0.75 (preferably less than 0.65, preferably less than 0.55, preferably less than 0.45, preferably less than 0.40); 2) a Cayley tree topology with a layer number of 2 or more, preferably 3 or more, preferably 4 or more; 3) at least 0.6 ppm (preferably at least 10 ppm, preferably at least 100 ppm, preferably at least 1000 ppm, preferably at least 5000 ppm) of ester groups (as determined by ¹H NMR); 4) optionally, a weight average molecular weight between the branch points of 1000 g/mol or more (preferably 3,000 g/mol or more, preferably 5,000 g/mol or more); 5) optionally, a crystallinity greater than 10% (preferably greater than 15%, preferably greater than 20%, as determined by DSC as described below), and 6) optionally, a heat of fusion greater than 0 J/g, (preferably greater than 10 J/g, preferably greater than 60 J/g, preferably greater than 100 J/g, as determined by DSC as described below).

In another embodiment of the invention, the modifiers described herein contain less than 0.6 ppm silicon, preferably less than 0.3 ppm silicon, preferably less than 0.1 ppm silicon, preferably 0 ppm silicon (as determined by ICPES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry)), which is described in J. W. Olesik, “Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy,” in the Encyclopedia of Materials Characterization, C. R. Brundle, C. A. Evans, Jr. and S. Wilson, Eds., Butterworth-Heinemann, Boston, Mass., 1992, pp. 633-644, is used to determine the amount of an element in a material.

In another embodiment, the polyethylene/modifier compositions of this invention comprise less than 5 wt %, (preferably less than 1 wt %, preferably 0 wt %) propylene homopolymer or copolymer, based upon the weight of the composition.

In another embodiment, the polyethylene/modifier compositions of this invention comprise less than 5 wt %, (preferably less than 1 wt %, preferably 0 wt %) EP Rubber, based upon the weight of the composition.

In a preferred embodiment, this invention comprises a blend comprising:

a) any branched modifier described herein present at from 0.1 wt % to 99.5 wt %, (preferably from 0.1 wt % to 25 wt %, preferably from 0.25 wt % to 10 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 5 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 4 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %, preferably from 0.5 wt % to 2 wt %, based upon the weight of the blend); and

b) one or more ethylene polymers having a g′_(vis) of 0.95 or more, a CDBI of 60% or more and a density of 0.90 g/cc or more, wherein the ethylene polymer has a g′_(vis) of at least 0.01 units higher than the g′_(vis) of the branched modifier (preferably at least 0.02, preferably at least 0.03, preferably at least 0.04, preferably at least 0.05, preferably at least 0.1, preferably at least 0.2, preferably at least 0.3, preferably at least 0.4, preferably at least 0.45 units higher).

Modified Blends

In a preferred embodiment, the blends comprising the polyethylene (preferably linear polyethylene) described herein and the branched modifier described herein are gel free. Specifically, the blend preferably has 5 wt % or less of xylene insoluble material (preferably less than 4 wt %, preferably less than 3 wt %, preferably less than 2 wt %, preferably less than 1 wt %). The blown film of the compositions described herein are preferably essentially free of defects, e.g., are optically clear.

Preferably, the quality of the films, preferably blown films, comprising the compositions described herein can be characterized by a composite gel count, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,916 of less than 100 (preferably less than 60, preferably less than 50, preferably less than 40, preferably less than 35.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, any film, preferably blown films, comprising the compositions described herein may have a FAR (“film appearance rating”, visual comparison test to known standards) value of greater than +20 in one embodiment, and greater than +30 in another embodiment, and greater than +40 in yet another embodiment. A FAR value is typically obtained by comparing the extruded film to a set of reference film standards having the same thickness (typically 1.0 mil thickness). For example, one may use the standards available from The Dow Chemical Company (citing Test Method PEG #510 FAR). The FAR test may be conducted as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,714,072.

In a preferred embodiment, the blends comprising the polyethylene (preferably linear polyethylene) described herein and the branched modifier described herein have good processability as indicated by strain hardening ratio.

In a preferred embodiment, the blends comprising the polyethylene (preferably linear polyethylene) described herein and the branched modifier described herein have a strain hardening ratio (SHR) of 1.1 or more, preferably 1.5 or more, preferably 2.0 or more, when the extensional viscosity is measured at a strain rate of 1 sec⁻¹ and at a temperature of 150° C. as describe below in the Test Methods.

In a preferred embodiment, the polyethylene compositions comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more branched modifiers show characteristics of strain hardening in extensional flow. Strain hardening is observed as a sudden, abrupt upswing of the extensional viscosity in the transient extensional viscosity vs. time plot. This abrupt upswing, away from the behavior of a linear viscoelastic material, was reported in the 1960s for LDPE (reference: J. Meissner, Rheology Acta., Vol. 8, 78, 1969) and was attributed to the presence of long branches in the polymer. In one embodiment, the inventive polyethylene compositions have strain-hardening in extensional viscosity. The strain-hardening ratio is preferably 1.2 or more, preferably 1.5 or more, more preferably 2.0 or more, and even more preferably 2.5 or more, when the extensional viscosity is measured at a strain rate of 1 sec⁻¹ and at a temperature of 150° C.

In one embodiment, the melt strength of the blend is at least 5% higher than the melt strength of ethylene polymer component(s) used in the blend.

Rheology of the inventive composition can be different from the rheology of the ethylene polymer component, depending on the properties of the branched modifier polymer. In one embodiment, the difference in complex shear viscosity between the inventive composition and ethylene polymer component(s) is less than 10%, preferably less than 5% at all frequencies.

In another embodiment, the complex shear viscosity of the inventive polyethylene composition is at least 10% higher than the complex viscosity of the ethylene polymer component(s) employed in the blend composition when the complex viscosity is measured at a frequency of 0.1 rad/sec and a temperature of 190° C., and the complex viscosity of the inventive polyethylene composition is the same or less than the complex viscosity of the ethylene polymer component used in the blend composition when the complex viscosity is measured at a frequency of 398 rad/sec and a temperature of 190° C. The complex shear viscosity is measured according to procedure described in the Test Method section below. Alternatively, the shear thinning ratio of the inventive composition is at least 10% higher than the shear thinning ratio of the ethylene polymer component.

Preferably, the blend of the polyethylene and the modifier has a melt index, as measured by ASTM D-1238 at 190° C. and 2.16 kg in the range of from 0.01 dg/min to 100 dg/min in one embodiment, from 0.01 dg/min to 50 dg/min in a more particular embodiment, from 0.02 dg/min to 20 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, from 0.03 dg/min to 2 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, and from 0.002 dg/min to 1 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment.

Preferably, the HLMI, also referred to as the I21, (ASTM D 1238190° C., 21.6 kg) of the blend of the polyethylene and the modifier ranges from 0.01 to 800 dg/min in one embodiment, from 0.1 to 500 dg/min in another embodiment, from 0.5 to 300 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, and from 1 to 100 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment wherein a desirable range is any combination of any upper I21 limit with any lower I21 limit.

Preferably, the blend of the polyethylene and the modifier has a melt index ratio (MIR, or I21/I2, ASTM D 1238, 190° C., 21.6 kg/2.16 kg) of from 10 to 500 in one embodiment, from 15 to 300 in a more particular embodiment, and from 20 to 200 in yet a more particular embodiment. Alternately, the modifiers may have a melt index ratio of from greater than 15 in one embodiment, greater than 20 in a more particular embodiment, greater than 30 in yet a more particular embodiment, greater than 40 in yet a more particular embodiment, and greater than 50 in yet a more particular embodiment.

Preferably, the blend of the polyethylene and the modifier is gel-free. Presence of gel can be detected by dissolving the material in xylene at xylene's boiling temperature. Gel-free product should be dissolved in xylene. In one embodiment, the branched modifier has 5 wt % or less (preferably 4 wt % or less, preferably 3 wt % or less, preferably 2 wt % or less, preferably 1 wt % or less, preferably 0 wt %) of xylene insoluble material.

In a preferred embodiment, this invention relates to a composition comprising more than 25 wt % (based on the weight of the composition) of one or more ethylene polymers having a g′_(vis) of 0.95 or more and an M_(w) of 20,000 g/mol or more and at least 0.1 wt % of a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier where the modifier has a g′_(vis) of less than 0.75, wherein the ethylene polymer has a g′_(vis) of at least 0.2 units higher than the g′_(vis) of the branched modifier, preferably at least 0.25 higher, preferably at least 0.30 higher, preferably at least 0.35 higher, preferably at least 0.40 higher.

In a preferred embodiment, films, preferably blown films, produced from the blend of polyethylene and modifier have an Elmendorf Tear, (reported in grams (g) or grams per mil (g/mil) as determined by ASTM D-1922) of at least 100 g/mil, preferably at least 150 g/mil, preferably at least 200 g/mil, wherein a desirable blend may exhibit any combination of any upper limit with any lower limit.

In a preferred embodiment, films, preferably blown films, produced from the blend of polyethylene and modifier has a haze, (measured according to ASTM D1003) of 25 or less, preferably 15 or less, preferably 10 or less.

In a preferred embodiment, films, preferably blown films, produced from the blends of polyethylene and modifier described herein has a Dart Drop (determined as described in the Test Methods below and reported as grams per mil) of at least 100 g/mil, preferably at least 150, preferably at least 200 g/mil.

In a preferred embodiment, films, preferably blown films, produced from the blends of polyethylene and modifier described herein are at least 0.3 mils thick, preferably at least 0.5 mils thick, preferably at least 1.0 mils thick, and preferably the films are less than 5 mils thick, preferably less than 3 mils thick, preferably less than 2 mils thick, wherein a desirable blend may exhibit any combination of any upper limit with any lower limit.

Dendritic Hydrocarbon Polymer Modifiers

The polyethylene compositions of the present invention include a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier (also referred to as a “modifier” or a “branched modifier” or a “branched modifier polymer” or a “dendritic modifier” herein). It will be realized that the classes of materials described herein that are useful as modifiers can be utilized alone or admixed with other modifiers described herein in order to obtain desired properties.

Dendritic hydrocarbon polymers useful as modifiers herein are typically produced in a one step process for making a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer by metathesis insertion polymerization and thereafter optionally hydrogenating the polymer. The process comprises polymerizing an amount of one or more cyclic olefins and one or more multi-functional (meth)acrylates in the presence of a metathesis catalyst and under conditions sufficient to produce the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer. The one or more multi-functional (meth)acrylates preferably have a functionality of 3 or higher. The dendritic hydrocarbon polymer is then hydrogenated to form the substantially saturated dendritic hydrocarbon polymer.

Dendritic hydrocarbon polymers useful as modifiers herein are typically produced in a one step process by metathesis insertion copolymerization of cyclic olefins and multi-functional (meth)acrylates in the presence of a metathesis catalyst followed by direct hydrogenation in the same reactor. Unlike previously disclosed synthetic methods, this new synthetic method constructs complex dendritic polyolefins in a single step using commercially available monomers and catalysts. A separate hydrogenation step is necessary to deliver fully saturated polyolefins, but it can be done in the same reaction vessel and solvent system, i.e., a one pot method.

The cyclic olefins useful in the processes of this disclosure can be any cyclic olefins that are capable of ring opening and polymerization in the presence of a metathesis catalyst. Illustrative cyclic olefins include, for example, cyclooctene and its derivatives, cyclooctadiene, 1,5-dimethylcyclooctadiene, norbornene and its derivatives, cyclic olefins with a suitable ring strain, bicyclic or multicyclic olefins, and the like. Cyclic olefins with sufficient ring strains for ring opening metathesis polymerization are preferred. The method of this disclosure allows the selection of cyclic olefin monomers for designing the dendritic polyolefin backbone composition. Depending on the monomer(s) used, the final dendritic and hydrogenated polyolefins can be crystalline or amorphous. The cyclic olefins are conventional materials known in the art and commercially available.

The multi-functional (meth)acrylates useful in the processes of this disclosure can be any multi-functional acrylates or methacrylates that are capable of insertion and polymerization with a cyclic olefin. Illustrative multi-functional (meth)acrylates include, for example, trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), trimethylolpropane ethoxylate triacrylate, glycerol propoxylate (1PO/OH) triacrylate, 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine, tris[2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl] isocyanurate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA), di(trimethylolpropane)tetraacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate (DPEHA), and the like. The functionality of the multi-functional (meth)acrylate is 3 or higher, in order to develop higher generation, greater than second-generation, dendritic polyolefins. Many tri-, tetra-, and even higher multi-functional (meth)acrylates are commercially available at reasonable prices. Dendritic generations can be tailored to third or higher with a proper selection of the multi-functional (meth)acrylate and other reaction conditions. Dendritic generation/branching density can also be adjusted by acrylic connector choice.

The concentration of the one or more cyclic olefins and one or more multi-functional (meth)acrylates used in the process of this disclosure can vary over a wide range and need only be concentrations sufficient to form the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer. The one or more cyclic olefins and one or more multi-functional (meth)acrylates can be present in a molar concentration ratio (cyclic olefin/multi-functional (meth)acrylate) of from 2 and higher, preferably from 3 to 2000, and more preferably from 50 to 200. Dendritic generations can be tailored to third and higher with a proper selection of the cyclic olefin/multi-functional (meth)acrylate molar ratio.

For a first-generation dendritic polymer, the cyclic olefin/multi-functional (meth)acrylate molar ratio will range from 3 and higher. For a second-generation polymer, the cyclic olefin/multi-functional (meth)acrylate molar ratio will range from 2.25 and higher. For a third-generation dendritic polymer, the cyclic olefin/multi-functional (meth)acrylate molar ratio will range from 2.1 and higher. For an infinite-generation dendritic polymer, the cyclic olefin/multi-functional (meth)acrylate molar ratio will range from 2 and higher.

The metathesis catalyst can be any catalyst suitable for catalyzing the metathesis polymerization. Illustrative metathesis catalysts useful in the process of this disclosure include, for example, Grubbs 1^(st) generation catalyst, Grubbs 2^(nd) generation catalyst, Hoveyda-Grubbs catalysts, ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts, and the like. The catalysts are conventional materials known in the art and commercially available.

In a preferred embodiment, the metathesis catalyst is one or more of tricyclohexylphosphine[1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene][3-phenyl-1H-inden-1-ylidene]ruthenium(II)dichloride, tricyclohexylphosphine[3-phenyl-1H-inden-1-ylidene][1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-imidazol-2-ylidene]ruthenium(II)dichloride, tricyclohexylphosphine[1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene][(phenylthio)methylene]ruthenium(II)dichloride, bis(tricyclohexylphosphine)-3-phenyl-1H-inden-1-ylideneruthenium(II)dichloride, 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene[2-(i-propoxy)-5-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)phenyl]methyleneruthenium(II)dichloride, and [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene]-[2-[[(4-methylphenyl)imino]methyl]-4-nitrophenolyl]-[3-phenyl-1H-inden-1-ylidene]ruthenium(II) chloride. In a preferred embodiment, the catalyst is 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene[2-(i-propoxy)-5-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)phenyl]methyleneruthenium(II)dichloride, and/or tricyclohexylphosphine[3-phenyl-1H-inden-1-ylidene][1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene]ruthenium(II)dichloride.

In another embodiment, the metathesis catalyst useful herein may be any of the catalysts described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,111,121; 5,312,940; 5,342,909; 7,329,758; 5,831,108; 5,969,170; 6,759,537; 6,921,735; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005-0261451 A1, including, but not limited to:

-   benzylidene-bis(tricyclohexylphosphine)dichlororuthenium; -   benzylidene[1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2     imidazolidinylidene]dichloro(tricyclohexyl phosphine) ruthenium; -   dichloro(o-isopropoxyphenylmethylene)(tricyclohexylphosphine)ruthenium(II); -   (1,3-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene)dichloro(o-isopropoxyphenylmethylene)ruthenium; -   1,3-bis(2-methylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene]dichloro(2-isopropoxyphenylmethylene)     ruthenium(II); -   [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene]dichloro[3-(2-pyridinyl)propylidene]ruthenium(II); -   [1,3-bis(2-methylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene]dichloro(phenylmethylene)     (tricyclohexylphosphine)ruthenium(II); -   [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene]dichloro(3-methyl-2-butenylidene)     (tricyclohexylphosphine)ruthenium(II); and -   [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene]dichloro(benzylidene)bis(3-bromopyridine)ruthenium(II).

In a preferred embodiment, the metathesis catalyst compound comprises one or more of:

-   2-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-3,5,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine[2-(i-propoxy)-5-(N,N-dimethylamino     sulfonyl)phenyl]methylene ruthenium dichloride; -   2-(mesityl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine[2-(i-propoxy)-5-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)     phenyl]methylene ruthenium dichloride; -   2-(2-isopropyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine[2-(i-propoxy)-5-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)     phenyl]methylene ruthenium dichloride; -   2-(2,6-diethyl-4-fluorophenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine[2-(i-propoxy)-5-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)phenyl]methylene     ruthenium dichloride; and mixtures thereof.

For further information on such metathesis catalysts, please see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/939,054, filed Nov. 3, 2010, claiming priority to and the benefit of U.S. Patent Application 61/259,514, filed Nov. 9, 2009. Many of the above named catalysts are generally available from Sigma-Aldrich Corp. (St. Louis, Mo.) or Strem Chemicals, Inc. (Newburyport, Mass.).

The concentration of the metathesis catalyst used in the process of this disclosure can vary over a wide range and need only be a concentration sufficient to catalyze the polymerization. The metathesis catalyst can be present in an amount of from 0.00001 M to 1 M, preferably from 0.0001 M to 0.1 M, and more preferably from 0.001 M to 0.01 M.

In the dendritic hydrocarbon polymers of this disclosure, the length between two branching points is tunable, which is controlled by catalyst loading. Dendritic generation/branching density can be adjusted by catalyst loading and/or acrylic connector choice.

The average linker length and insertion efficiency can be controlled by the catalyst loading. Linker length increases with the decrease of catalyst loading. At the same time, a high full insertion ratio can be achieved at a certain catalyst loading.

The dendritic polyolefins prepared by the process of this disclosure preferably have a dendritic generation of 2 (e.g., a Cayley tree topology of 2) and higher and have molecular weight between 5,000 to 5,000,000 g/mol, and most preferably between 10,000 and 1,000,000 g/mol. Illustrative dendritic polyolefins prepared by the process described herein are shown in FIG. 1.

In one embodiment of the invention, the dendritic structure is a dendritic structure of at least generation 2 (e.g., a Cayley tree topology of at least 2). In another embodiment, the dendritic structure is a dendritic structure of at least generation 3 (e.g., a Cayley tree topology of at least 3).

The crystalline dendritic polyolefins of this disclosure can be used as a processability additive in a semi-crystalline polyolefin of similar backbone composition for delivering extensional strain hardening, higher melt strength, and faster blown film processing speed at a concentration of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt %, more preferably 0.25 wt % to 15 wt %, and most preferably 0.5 wt % to 10 wt %. The amorphous dendritic polyolefins of this disclosure can be used as a processability additive in an elastomeric polyolefin of similar backbone composition for delivering extensional hardening and higher melt strength for better compounding processability and cold flow resistance at a concentration of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt %, more preferably 0.25 wt % to 15 wt %, and most preferably 0.5 wt % to 10 wt %. This amorphous dendritic polyolefin can also be used as a viscosity index improver in lubricants due to its temperature invariant solution coil dimension and its shear stability at a concentration of 0.01 wt % to 7.5 wt %, more preferably 0.1 wt % to 5 wt %, and most preferably 0.3 wt % to 3 wt %.

Dendritic polyolefins of this disclosure with second and higher generations are unique processability additives in polyolefins for delivering extensional strain hardening, melt strength, and higher blown film processing speed. As described herein, dendritic polyethylenes of second generation or higher have been prepared by anionic polymerization and anionic condensation followed by hydrogenation. Both anionic polymerization and anionic condensation methods involve more than three synthetic steps including the synthesis of the di-functional initiator and one hydrogenation step. Additionally, anionic methods are sensitive to impurities and reactions can be slow or stopped with accumulation of impurities. In the process of this disclosure, a one step synthetic method has been developed for preparing dendritic polyolefins before hydrogenation based on metathesis insertion copolymerization of cyclic olefins and multi-functional (meth)acrylates that have 3 or more functionalities. The dendritic polyolefin backbone composition, the molecular weight of the linker in between branching points, and the dendritic generation can be tailored based on the selection of cyclic olefin monomer, catalyst amount, cyclic olefin to multi-functional (meth)acrylate molar ratio, and the number of functionality on the (meth)acrylate. Additionally, hydrogenation can be carried out in the same reactor immediately following the polymerization, to furnish fully saturated polyolefins. Various commercial cyclic olefins and multi-functional (meth)acrylates can be directly utilized in the synthesis, to yield dendritic polyolefins of desirable structures.

Polymerization conditions for the reaction of the one or more cyclic olefins and one or more multi-functional (meth)acrylates, such as temperature, pressure, and contact time, may also vary greatly and any suitable combination of such conditions may be employed herein. The reaction temperature may range between −40° C. to 120° C., preferably between 15° C. to 100° C., and more preferably between 20° C. to 80° C. Normally the reaction is carried out under ambient pressure and the contact time may vary from a matter of seconds or minutes to a few hours or greater. The reactants can be added to the reaction mixture or combined in any order. The stir time employed can range from 3 minutes to 168 hours, preferably from 10 minutes to 72 hours, and more preferably from 30 minutes to 6 hours.

In this synthetic method, reactions are performed under ambient pressure with a slight heating and are tolerant to ambient environment and impurities. All monomers and solvents can be used as received without purification.

Hydrogenation can be carried out in the process of the present disclosure by any known catalysis system, including heterogeneous systems and soluble systems. Soluble systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,835 at column 1, line 65 through column 9, line 16 as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,331 at column 3, line 40 through column 6, line 28.

For purposes of the present disclosure, “substantially saturated” as it refers to the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer means that polymer includes on average fewer than 10 double bonds, or fewer than 5 double bonds, or fewer than 3 double bonds, or fewer than 1 double bond per 100 carbons in a hydrocarbon polymer chain.

Additional teachings to hydrogenation are disclosed in Rachapudy et al., Journal of Polymer Science Polymer Physics Edition, Vol. 17, 1211-1222 (1979), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Table 1 of the article discloses several systems including palladium on various supports (calcium carbonate, but also barium sulfide). The Rachapudy et al. article discloses preparation of homogeneous catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts.

The Rachapudy et al. article discloses a method of preparation of a homogeneous catalyst. The catalyst can be formed by reaction between a metal alkyl and the organic salt of a transition metal. The metal alkyls were n-butyl lithium (in cyclohexane) and triethyl aluminum (in hexane). The metal salts were cobalt and nickel 2-ethyl hexanoates (in hydrocarbon solvents) and platinum and palladium acetyl-acetonates (solids). Hydrogenation was conducted in a 1-liter heavy-wall glass reactor, fitted with a stainless steel flange top and magnetically stirred. A solution of 5 grams of polybutadiene in 500 milliliters of dry cyclohexane was added, and the reactor was closed and purged with nitrogen. The catalyst complex was prepared separately by adding the transition metal salt to the metal alkyl in cyclohexane under nitrogen. The molar ratio of component metals (alkyl to salt) was generally 3.5/1, the optimum in terms of rate and completeness of hydrogenation. The reactor was heated to 70° C., purged with hydrogen, and the catalyst mixture (usually 0.03 moles of transition metal per mole of double bonds) injected through a rubber septum. Hydrogen pressure was increased to 20 psi (gauge) and the reaction allowed to proceed for approximately 4 hours. Hydrogenation proceeds satisfactorily in the initial stages even at room temperature, but the partially hydrogenated polymer soon begins to crystallize. At 70° C., the polymer remains in solution throughout the reaction.

After hydrogenation the catalyst was decomposed with dilute HCl. The polymer was precipitated with methanol, washed with dilute acid, re-dissolved, re-precipitated, and dried under vacuum. Blank experiments with polyethylene confirmed that the washing procedure was sufficient to remove any uncombined catalyst decomposition products.

The Rachapudy et al. article also discloses a method of preparation of a heterogeneous catalyst. A 1-liter high-pressure reactor (Parr Instrument Co.) was used. The catalysts were nickel on kieselguhr (Girdler Co.) and palladium on calcium carbonate (Strem Chemical Co.). Approximately 5 grams of polybutadiene were dissolved in 500 milliliters of dry cyclohexane, the catalyst was added (approximately 0.01 moles metal/mole of double bonds), and the reactor was purged with hydrogen. The reactor was then pressurized with hydrogen and the temperature was raised to the reaction temperature for 3 to 4 hours. For the nickel catalyst, the reaction conditions were 700 psi H₂ and 160° C. For palladium, the conditions were 500 psi H₂ and 70° C.

After reaction, the hydrogen was removed and the solution filtered at 70° C. The polymer was precipitated with methanol and dried under vacuum.

Additional teachings to hydrogenation processes and catalysts therefor are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,284,835 and 4,980,331, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The catalysts described herein can be used to hydrogenate hydrocarbons containing unsaturated carbon bonds. The unsaturated carbon bonds which may be hydrogenated include olefinic and acetylenic unsaturated bonds. The process is particularly suitable for the hydrogenation under mild conditions of hydrogenatable organic materials having carbon-to-carbon unsaturation, such as acyclic monoolefins and polyolefins, cyclic monoolefins and polyolefins, and mixtures thereof. These materials may be unsubstituted or substituted with additional non-reactive functional groups such as halogens, ether linkages or cyano groups. Exemplary of the types of carbon-to-carbon compounds useful herein are hydrocarbons of 2 to 30 carbon atoms, e.g., olefinic compounds selected from acyclic and cyclic mono-, di-, and triolefins. The catalysts of this disclosure are also suitable for hydrogenating carbon-to-carbon unsaturation in polymeric materials, for example, in removing unsaturation from butadiene polymers and co-polymers such as styrene-butadiene-styrene.

The hydrogenation reaction herein is normally accomplished at a temperature from 40° C. to 160° C. and preferably from 60° C. to 150° C. Different substrates being hydrogenated will require different optimum temperatures, which can be determined by experimentation. The initial hydrogenation pressures may range up to 3,000 psi partial pressure, at least part of which is present due to the hydrogen. Pressures from 1 to 7500 psig are suitable. Preferred pressures are up to 2000 psig, and most preferred pressures are from 100 to 1000 psig are employed. The reactive conditions are determined by the particular choices of reactants and catalysts. The process may be either batch or continuous. In a batch process, reaction times may vary widely, such as between 0.01 second to 10 hours. In a continuous process, reaction times may vary from 0.1 seconds to 120 minutes and preferably from 0.1 second to 10 minutes.

The ratio of catalyst to material being hydrogenated is generally not critical and may vary widely within the scope of the disclosure. Molar ratios of catalyst to material being hydrogenated between 1:1000 and 10:1 are found to be satisfactory; higher and lower ratios, however, are possible.

If desired, the hydrogenation process may be carried out in the presence of an inert diluent, for example, a paraffinic or cycloparaffinic hydrocarbon.

Additional teachings to hydrogenation processes and catalysts therefor are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,331, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In general, any of the Group VIII metal compounds known to be useful in the preparation of catalysts for the hydrogenation of ethylenic unsaturation can be used separately or in combination to prepare the catalysts. Suitable compounds, then, include Group VIII metal carboxylates having the formula (RCOO)_(n)M, wherein M is a Group VIII metal, R is a hydrocarbyl radical having from 1 to 50 carbon atoms, preferably from 5 to 30 carbon atoms, and n is a number equal to the valence of the metal M; alkoxides having the formula (RCO)_(n)M, wherein M is again a Group VIII metal, R is a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 50 carbon atoms, preferably from 5 to 30 carbon atoms, and n is a number equal to the valence of the metal M; chelates of the metal prepared with beta-ketones, alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids beta-hydroxycarboxylic acids, beta-hydroxycarbonyl compounds, and the like; salts of sulfur-containing acids having the general formula M(SO_(x))_(n) and partial esters thereof; and salts of aliphatic and aromatic sulfonic acids having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. Preferably, the Group VIII metal will be selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt. Most preferably, the Group VIII metal will be nickel.

The metal carboxylates useful in preparing the catalyst include Group VIII metal salts of hydrocarbon aliphatic acids, hydrocarbon cycloaliphatic acids, and hydrocarbon aromatic acids. Examples of hydrocarbon aliphatic acids include hexanoic acid, ethylhexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and rhodinic acid. Examples of hydrocarbon aromatic acids include benzoic acid and alkyl-substituted aromatic acids in which the alkyl substitution has from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. Examples of cycloaliphatic acids include naphthenic acid, cyclohexylcarboxylic acid, and abietic-type resin acids. Suitable chelating agents which may be combined with various Group VIII metal compounds thereby yielding a Group VIII metal chelate compound useful in the preparation of the catalyst include beta-ketones, alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids, beta-hydroxy carboxylic acids, and beta-hydroxycarbonyl compounds. Examples of beta-ketones that may be used include acetylacetone, 1,3-hexanedione, 3,5-nonadione, methylacetoacetate, and ethylacetoacetate. Examples of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids that may be used include lactic acid, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, alpha-hydroxy-alpha-phenylacetic acid, and alpha-hydroxycyclohexylacetic acid. Examples of beta-hydroxycarboxylic acids include salicylic acid and alkyl-substituted salicylic acids. Examples of beta-hydroxylcarbonyl compounds that may be used include salicylaldehyde and θ-hydroxyacetophenone. The metal alkoxides useful in preparing the catalysts include Group VIII metal alkoxides of hydrocarbon aliphatic alcohols, hydrocarbon cycloaliphatic alcohols, and hydrocarbon aromatic alcohols. Examples of hydrocarbon aliphatic alcohols include hexanol, ethylhexanol, heptanol, octanol, nonanol, decanol, and dodecanol. The Group VIII metal salts of sulfur-containing acids and partial esters thereof include Group VIII metal salts of sulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, sulphurous acid, and partial esters thereof. Of the sulfonic acids, aromatic sulfonic acids such as benzene sulfonic acid and p-toluene sulfonic acid are particularly useful.

In general, any of the alkylalumoxane compounds known to be useful in the preparation of olefin polymerization catalysts may be used in the preparation of the hydrogenation catalyst. Alkylalumoxane compounds useful in preparing the catalyst may, then, be cyclic or linear. Cyclic alkylalumoxanes may be represented by the general formula (R—Al—O)_(m) while linear alkylalumoxanes may be represented by the general formula R(R—Al—O)_(n)AlR₂. In both of the general formulae R will be an alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms such as, for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and pentyl; m is an integer from 3 to 40; and n is an integer from 1 to 40. In a preferred embodiment, R will be methyl, m will be a number from 5 to 20, and n will be a number from 10 to 20. As is well known, alkylalumoxanes may be prepared by reacting an aluminum alkyl with water. Usually the resulting product will be a mixture of both linear and cyclic compounds.

Contacting of the aluminum alkyl and water may be accomplished in several ways. For example, the aluminum alkyl may first be dissolved in a suitable solvent such as toluene or an aliphatic hydrocarbon and the solution then contacted with a similar solvent containing relatively minor amounts of moisture. Alternatively, an aluminum alkyl may be contacted with a hydrated salt, such as hydrated copper sulfate or ferrous sulfate. When this method is used, a hydrated ferrous sulfate is frequently used. According to this method, a dilute solution of aluminum alkyl in a suitable solvent such as toluene is contacted with hydrated ferrous sulfate. In general, 1 mole of hydrated ferrous sulfate will be contacted with from 6 to 7 moles of the aluminum trialkyl. When aluminum trimethyl is the aluminum alkyl actually used, methane will be evolved as conversion of the aluminum alkyl to an alkylalumoxane occurs.

In general, any of the Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyls or hydrides known to be useful in preparing hydrogenation catalysts in the prior art may be used to prepare the catalyst. In general, the Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyls will be peralkyls with each alkyl group being the same or different containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and the hydrides will be perhydrides although alkylhydrides should be equally useful. Aluminum, magnesium, and lithium alkyls and hydrides are particularly useful and these compounds are preferred for use in preparing the catalyst. Aluminum trialkyls are most preferred.

The one or more alkylalumoxanes and the one or more Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyls or hydrides may be combined and then contacted with the one or more Group VIII metal compounds or the one or more alkylalumoxanes and the one or more Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyls or hydrides may be sequentially contacted with the one or more Group VIII metal compounds with the proviso that when sequential contacting is used, the one or more alkylalumoxanes will be first contacted with the one or more Group VIII metal compounds. Sequential contacting is preferred. With respect to the contacting step the two different reducing agents, i.e., the alkylalumoxanes and the alkyls or hydrides, might react with the Group VIII metal compound in such a way as to yield different reaction products. The Group Ia, IIa, and IIIa metal alkyls and hydrides are a stronger reducing agent than the alkylalumoxanes, and, as a result, if the Group VIII metal is allowed to be completely reduced with a Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyl or hydride, the alkylalumoxanes might make little or no contribution. If the Group VIII metal is first reduced with one or more alkylalumoxanes, the reaction product obtained with the alumoxane might be further reduced or otherwise altered by reaction with a Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyl or hydride.

Whether contacting is accomplished concurrently or sequentially, the one or more alkylalumoxanes will be combined with the one or more Group VIII metal compounds at a concentration sufficient to provide an aluminum to Group VIII metal atomic ratio within the range from 1.5:1 to 20:1 and the one or more Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyls or hydrides will be combined with one or more Group VIII metal compounds at a concentration sufficient to provide a Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal to Group VIII metal atomic ratio within the range from 0.1:1 to 20:1. Contact between the one or more Group VIII compounds and the one or more alkylalumoxanes and the one or more alkyls or hydrides will be accomplished at a temperature within the range from 20° C. and 100° C. Contact will typically be continued for a period of time within the range from 1 to 120 minutes. When sequential contacting is used, each of the two contacting steps will be continued for a period of time within this same range.

In general, the hydrogenation catalyst will be prepared by combining the one or more Group VIII metal compounds with the one or more alkylalumoxanes and the one or more Group Ia, IIa, or IIIa metal alkyls or hydrides in a suitable solvent. In general, the solvent used for preparing the catalyst may be anyone of those solvents known in the prior art to be useful as solvents for unsaturated hydrocarbon polymers. Suitable solvents include aliphatic hydrocarbons such as hexane, heptane, and octane; cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons such as cyclopentane and cyclohexane; alkyl-substituted cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons such as methylcyclopentane, methylcyclohexane, and methylcyclooctane; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene; hydroaromatic hydrocarbons such as decalin and tetralin; alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene; halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons such as chlorobenzene; and linear and cyclic ethers such as the various dialkyl ethers, polyethers, particularly diethers, and tetrahydrofuran. Suitable hydrogenation catalysts will usually be prepared by combining the catalyst components in a separate vessel prior to feeding the same to the hydrogenation reactor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the modifier has:

1) a g′_(vis) value less than 0.75 (preferably less than 0.70, preferably less than 0.65, preferably less than 0.60, preferably less than 0.55, preferably less than 0.50, preferably less than 0.45, preferably less than 0.40, preferably less than 0.35, preferably less than 0.30); 2) a Cayley tree topology with a layer number of 2 or more, preferably 3 or more, preferably 4 or more; 3) at least 0.6 ppm (preferably at least 10 ppm, preferably at least 100 ppm, preferably at least 1000 ppm, preferably at least 5000 ppm) of ester groups (as determined by ¹H NMR); 4) optionally, an average Mw between the branch points of 1,000 g/mol or more (preferably 3,000 g/mol or more, preferably 5,000 g/mol or more); 5) optionally, a crystallinity greater than 10% (preferably greater than 15%, preferably greater than 20%, as determined by DSC as described below); and 6) optionally, a heat of fusion greater than 0 J/g, (preferably greater than 10 J/g, preferably greater than 60 J/g, preferably greater than 100 J/g, as determined by DSC as described below).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the modifier has:

1) a g′_(vis) value or 0.75 or less (preferably 0.70 or less, preferably 0.65 or less, preferably 0.60 or less, preferably 0.55 or less, preferably 0.50 or less, preferably 0.45 or less, preferably 0.40 or less, preferably 0.35 or less, preferably 0.30 or less); 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups (preferably 0.75 or more, preferably 1.0 or more, preferably 1.2 or more, preferably 1.50 or more) as determined by ¹H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more (preferably 110° C. or more, preferably 120° C. or more, preferably 125° C. or more) as determined by DSC; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more (preferably 100,000 g/mol or more, preferably 150,000 g/mol or more, preferably 200,000 g/mol or more, preferably 500,000 or more) as determined by GPC; 5) an average number of carbon atoms between the branch points of 70 or more (preferably from 140 to 5400, preferably 215 to 3600, preferably 350 to 1800) as determined by ¹H NMR; 6) optionally, an Mw/Mn of 3 or more (preferably 4 or more, preferably 5 or more, preferably 6 or more, preferably 7 or more, preferably 8 or more, preferably 9 or more, preferably 10 or more, preferably 12 or more, preferably 15 or more, preferably 20 or more); 7) optionally, less than 5 short chain branches (preferably 4 or less, preferably 3 or less, preferably 2 or less, preferably 1 or less, preferably zero) per 1000 carbons as determined by ¹³C NMR; and 8) optionally, an average Mw between the branch points is from 1000 to 100,000 g/mol (preferably from 2000 to 75,000, preferably 3000 to 50,000, preferably 5000 to 25,000) as determined by ¹H NMR.

The average Mw between the branch points is determined by ¹H NMR on the unhydrogenated material using the integral ratio of the internal vinylene protons (for example, peak c in FIG. 6 a) to the double bond proton next to the carbonyl (for example, peak a in FIG. 6 a). When unhydrogenated material is unavailable, testing on the hydrogenated material uses the integral ratio of the all other alkyl protons (for example, the peak at 1.5 ppm in FIG. 6 a) to the CH₂ proton next to the ester (for example, peak d in FIG. 6 a). Average number of carbon atoms between the branch points is determined by dividing the average Mw between the branch points by 14.

The ¹³C NMR and ¹H NMR procedures are described below in the Test Methods section.

The dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers used in this invention are described as having a Cayley tree topology with at least two (preferably at least three, preferably at least four) layers or having at least a second (preferably at least third generation, preferably at least fourth generation) Cayley tree topology as referenced in Van Ruymbeke et al. Macromolecules, Vol. 40, No. 16, 2007 and Blackwell et al., Macromolecules, 2001, 34, 2579-2596. Referring to FIG. 14, the three armed material on the top left is referred to as having one layer, the structure in the top middle is referred to as having two layers and the structure on the top right is referred to as having three layers. The structures on the bottom left and right are examples of two and three layer materials, even though each branch point is not symmetric. For purposes of this invention and the claims thereto, it is not necessary that all branch points in the Cayley tree structure be symmetrically substituted. Missing tree branches due, for example, to the capped connector functionality or steric hindrance in affecting linkers reacting with one of the functionality on the connector is acceptable as long as the layer number is 2 and above. The layer number affects the relaxation priority and is an important component in affecting the extensional relaxation. In any embodiment of the invention as described herein, the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers may have a Cayley tree topology with at least four (alternately at least five) layers or having at least a fourth (preferably fifth) generation Cayley tree topology. The layer number is referred to as “n” in Blackwell et al., Macromolecules, 2001, 34, 2579-2596. Using the assembly method with connectors and linkers, the symmetric or asymmetric Cayley tree structures are achieved. The layer numbers can be determined based on molecular weight fractionation (for example, where the modifier begins with a tri-armed material, layer 2 will have an Mn roughly equal to the linker Mn times 9 and layer 3 will have an Mn roughly equal to the linker Mn times 21, etc.) and relaxation fractionation (based on Small Amplitude Oscillatory Shear test where two relaxation peaks will be found for layer 2, 3 relaxation peaks will be detected for layer 3, and so on). Likewise, where the modifier begins with a tetra-armed material, layer 2 will have a Mn roughly equal to the linker Mn times 16 and layer 3 will have a Mn roughly equal to the linker Mn times 52, etc., and relaxation fractionation (based on Small Amplitude Oscillatory Shear test where two relaxation peaks will be found for layer 2, 3 relaxation peaks will be detected for layer 3, and so on).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, any dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier described herein has an average Mw of 1000 g/mol or more, preferably 3,000 g/mol or more, preferably 5000 g/mol or more between branch points.

In any embodiment of the invention described herein, the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers have:

i) a g′_(vis) of less than 0.75 (preferably less than 0.70, preferably less than 0.65, preferably less than 0.60, preferably less than 0.55, preferably less than 0.50, preferably less than 0.45, preferably less than 0.40);

ii) a density of from about 0.880 to about 0.980 g/cm³ (preferably from 0.890 to 0.940 g/cc, preferably from 0.900 to 0.935 g/cc, preferably from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cc);

iii) a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of from about 1 to about 40 (preferably 1.5 to 20, preferably 2.0 to 20); and

iv) optionally, less than 5 wt % xylene insoluble material (preferably 4 wt % or less, preferably 3 wt % or less, preferably 2 wt % or less, preferably 1 wt % or less, preferably O wt %).

This invention further relates to a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier where the modifier: a) has a g′_(vis) of 0.75 or less (preferably less than 0.70, preferably less than 0.65, preferably less than 0.60, preferably less than 0.55, preferably less than 0.50, preferably less than 0.45, preferably less than 0.40, preferably 0.35 or less, preferably 0.30 or less); b) is essentially gel free (preferably 5 wt % or less of xylene insoluble material, preferably 4 wt % or less, preferably 3 wt % or less, preferably 2 wt % or less, preferably 1 wt % or less, preferably 0 wt %); c) has a Mw of 10,000 g/mol or more (preferably 25,000 or more, preferably 50,000 or more); d) a Cayley tree topology with 2 or more layers, preferably 3 or more layers, preferably 4 or more layers; e) an average Mw between the branch points that is greater than 1000 g/mol; f) an Hf greater than 0 J/g, greater than 20 J/g; g) a percent crystallinity of 10% or more; h) a Mw/Mn of greater than 1 to less than 20, (preferably 1.2 to 15, preferably 1.5 to 10); and i) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the modifiers comprise side chain branches that are ethyl, butyl, or hexyl as determined by ¹³C NMR as described below.

In a preferred embodiment, the modifiers are dendritic hydrocarbon polymers, preferably substantially saturated dendritic hydrocarbon polymers, preferably saturated dendritic hydrocarbon polymers as determined by ¹³C NMR as described below.

The branched structure of the modifiers and the blends containing the modifiers can also be observed by Small Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (SAOS) measurement of the molten polymer performed on a dynamic (oscillatory) rotational rheometer. From the data generated by such a test it is possible to determine the phase or loss angle δ, which is the inverse tangent of the ratio of G″ (the loss modulus) to G′ (the storage modulus). For a typical linear polymer, the loss angle at low frequencies (or long times) approaches 90 degrees, because the chains can relax in the melt, adsorbing energy, and making the loss modulus much larger than the storage modulus. As frequencies increase, more of the chains relax too slowly to absorb energy during the oscillations, and the storage modulus grows relative to the loss modulus. Eventually, the storage and loss moduli become equal and the loss angle reaches 45 degrees. In contrast, a branched chain polymer relaxes very slowly, because the branches need to retract first before the chain backbone can relax along its tube in the melt. This polymer never reaches a state where all its chains can relax during an oscillation, and the loss angle never reaches 90 degrees even at the lowest frequency, ω, of the experiments. The loss angle is also relatively independent of the frequency of the oscillations in the SAOS experiment; another indication that the chains can not relax on these timescales.

As known by one of skill in the art, rheological data may be presented by plotting the phase angle versus the absolute value of the complex shear modulus (G*) to produce a van Gurp-Palmen plot. The plot of conventional polyethylene polymers shows monotonic behavior and a negative slope toward higher G* values. Conventional LLDPE polymers without long chain branches exhibit a negative slope on the van Gurp-Palmen plot. The van Gurp-Palmen plots of some embodiments of the branched modifier polymers described in the present disclosure exhibit two slopes—a positive slope at lower G* values and a negative slope at higher G* values.

In a plot of the phase angle δ versus the measurement frequency ω, polymers that have long chain branches exhibit a plateau in the function of δ(ω), whereas linear polymers do not have such a plateau. According to Garcia-Franco et al. (Macromolecules 2001, 34, No. 10, 3115-3117), the plateau in the aforementioned plot will shift to lower phase angles δ when the amount of long chain branching occurring in the polymer sample increases. Dividing the phase angle at which the plateau occurs by a phase angle of 90°, one obtains the critical relaxation exponent n which can then be used to calculate a gel stiffness using the equation:

η*(ω)=SΓ(1−n)ω^(n-1)

wherein η* represents the complex viscosity (Pa·s), ω represents the frequency, S is the gel stiffness, Γ is the gamma function (see Beyer, W. H. Ed., CRC Handbook of Mathematical Sciences 5^(th) Ed., CRC Press, Boca Rotan, 1978), and n is the critical relaxation exponent. Modifiers useful herein preferably have a gel stiffness of more than 150 Pa·s, preferably at least 300 Pa·s, and more preferably at least 500 Pa·s. The gel stiffness is determined at the test temperature of 190° C. A preferred critical relaxation exponent n for the modifiers useful herein is less than 1 and more than 0, generally, n will be between 0.1 and 0.92, preferably between 0.2 and 0.85.

Small amplitude oscillatory shear data can be transformed into discrete relaxation spectra using the procedure on pages 273-275 in R. B. Bird, R. C. Armstrong, and O. Hassager, Dynamics of Polymeric Liquids, Volume 1, Fluid Mechanics, 2^(nd) Edition, John Wiley and Sons, (1987). The storage and loss moduli are simultaneously least squares fit with the functions,

G′(ω_(j))=Ση_(k)λ_(k)ω_(j) ²/(1+(η_(k)ω_(k))²)

G″(ω_(j))=Ση_(k)λ_(k)ω_(j)/(1+(η_(k)ω_(k))²)

at the relaxation times λ_(k)=0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 seconds. The sums are from k=1 to k=5. The sum of the η_(k)'s is equal to the zero shear viscosity, η₀. An indication of high levels of branched block products is a high value of η₅, corresponding to the relaxation time of 100 s, relative to the zero shear viscosity. The viscosity fraction of the 100 s relaxation time is η₅ divided by the zero shear viscosity, η₀.

The modifiers used herein preferably have good shear thinning. Shear thinning is characterized by the decrease of the complex viscosity with increasing shear rate. One way to quantify the shear thinning is to use a ratio of complex viscosity at a frequency of 0.01 rad/s to the complex viscosity at a frequency of 100 rad/s. Preferably, the complex viscosity ratio of the modifier is 20 or more, more preferably 50 or more, even more preferably 100 or more when the complex viscosity is measured at 190° C.

Shear thinning can be also characterized using a shear thinning index. The term “shear thinning index” is determined using plots of the logarithm (base ten) of the dynamic viscosity versus logarithm (base ten) of the frequency. The slope is the difference in the log (dynamic viscosity) at a frequency of 100 rad/s and the log(dynamic viscosity) at a frequency of 0.01 rad/s divided by 4. These plots are the typical output of small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) experiments. For purposes of this invention, the SAOS test temperature is 190° C. for ethylene polymers and blends thereof. Polymer viscosity is conveniently measured in Pascal*seconds (Pa*s) at shear rates within a range of from 0.01 to 398 rad/sec and at 190° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere using a dynamic mechanical spectrometer such as the Advanced Rheometrics Expansion System (ARES). Generally, a low value of shear thinning index indicates that the polymer is highly shear-thinning and that it is readily processable in high shear processes, for example, by injection molding. The more negative this slope, the faster the dynamic viscosity decreases as the frequency increases. Preferably, the modifier has a shear thinning index of less than −0.2. These types of modifiers are easily processed in high shear rate fabrication methods, such as injection molding.

The branched modifier useful herein also preferably has characteristics of strain hardening in extensional viscosity. An important feature that can be obtained from extensional viscosity measurements is the attribute of strain hardening in the molten state. Strain hardening is observed as a sudden, abrupt upswing of the extensional viscosity in the transient extensional viscosity vs. time plot. This abrupt upswing, away from the behavior of a linear viscoelastic material, was reported in the 1960s for LDPE (reference: J. Meissner, Rheol. Acta., Vol. 8, 78, 1969) and was attributed to the presence of long branches in the polymer. The strain-hardening ratio (SHR) is defined as the ratio of the maximum transient extensional viscosity over three times the value of the transient zero-shear-rate viscosity at the same strain rate. Strain hardening is present in the material when the ratio is greater than 1. In one embodiment, the branched modifiers show strain-hardening in extensional flow. Preferably, the strain-hardening ratio is 2 or greater, preferably 5 or greater, more preferably 10 or greater, and even more preferably 15 or more, when extensional viscosity is measured at a strain rate of 1 sec⁻¹ and at a temperature of 150° C.

The branched modifier also generally exhibits melt strength values greater than that of conventional linear or long chain branched polyethylene of similar melt index. As used herein “melt strength” refers to the force required to draw a molten polymer extrudate at a rate of 12 mm/s² at an extrusion temperature of 190° C. until breakage of the extrudate whereby the force is applied by take up rollers. In one embodiment, the melt strength of the branched modifier polymer is at least 20% higher than that of a linear polyethylene with the same density and MI.

In a preferred embodiment, the branched modifier has a strain hardening ratio of 5 or more, preferably 10 or more, preferably 20 or more, preferably 30 or more, preferably 40 or more, preferably 50 or more; and/or an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more, preferably from 50,000 to 2,000,000 g/mol, alternately from 100,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol, alternately from 150,000 to 750,000 g/mol.

Preferably, the modifier has a melt index as measured by ASTM D-1238 at 190° C. and 2.16 kg in the range of from 0.01 dg/min to 100 dg/min in one embodiment, from 0.01 dg/min to 50 dg/min in a more particular embodiment, from 0.02 dg/min to 20 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, from 0.03 dg/min to 2 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, and from 0.002 dg/min to 1 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment.

Preferably, the HLMI (ASTM D 1238190° C., 21.6 kg) of the modifier ranges from 0.01 to 800 dg/min in one embodiment, from 0.1 to 500 dg/min in another embodiment, from 0.5 to 300 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, and from 1 to 100 dg/min in yet a more particular embodiment, wherein a desirable range is any combination of any upper I21 limit with any lower I21 limit.

The modifiers useful herein preferably have a melt index ratio (MIR, or I21/I2) of from 10 to 500 in one embodiment, from 15 to 300 in a more particular embodiment, and from 20 to 200 in yet a more particular embodiment. Alternately, the modifiers may have a melt index ratio of from greater than 15 in one embodiment, greater than 20 in a more particular embodiment, greater than 30 in yet a more particular embodiment, greater than 40 in yet a more particular embodiment, and greater than 50 in yet a more particular embodiment.

Preferably, the branched modifier is gel-free. Presence of gel can be detected by dissolving the material in xylene at xylene's boiling temperature. Gel-free product should be dissolved in xylene. In one embodiment, the branched modifier has 5 wt % or less (preferably 4 wt % or less, preferably 3 wt % or less, preferably 2 wt % or less, preferably 1 wt % or less, preferably 0 wt %) of xylene insoluble material.

The branched modifier preferably has an M_(w) of 10,000 to 2,000,000 g/mol, preferably 20,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol, more preferably 30,000 to 500,000 g/mol, as measured by size exclusion chromatography, as described below in the Test Method section below; and/or an M_(w)/M_(n) of 2 to 40, preferably 2.5 to 30, more preferably 3 to 20, more preferably 3 to 25 as measured by size exclusion chromatography; and/or a M_(Z)/M_(w) of 2 to 50, preferably 2.5 to 30, more preferably 3 to 20, more preferably 3 to 25.

The branched modifier preferably has a density of 0.85 to 0.97 g/cm³, preferably 0.86 to 0.965 g/cm³, preferably 0.88 to 0.96 g/cm³, alternatively between 0.860 and 0.910 g/cm³, alternatively between 0.910 and 0.940 g/cm³, or alternatively between 0.94 to 0.965 g/cm³ (determined according to ASTM D 1505 using a density-gradient column on a compression-molded specimen that has been slowly cooled to room temperature (i.e., over a period of 10 minutes or more) and allowed to age for a sufficient time that the density is constant within +/−0.001 g/cm³).

In a preferred embodiment, any branched modifier described herein has a g′_((Z ave)) of 0.90 or less, preferably 0.85 or less, preferably 0.80 or less, preferably 0.75 or less, preferably 0.70 or less, preferably 0.65 or less, preferably 0.60 or less.

Z average branching index (g′_((Z ave))) is determined using data generated using the SEC-DRI-LS-VIS procedure described in the Test Methods section, paragraph [0334] to [0341], pages 24-25 of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0173123 (including the references cited therein, except that the GPC procedure is run as described in the Test Methods section below), where:

${g^{\prime}{Zave}} = \frac{\sum{C_{i}\left\lbrack \eta_{i} \right\rbrack}_{b}}{\sum{C_{i}{KM}_{i}^{\alpha}}}$

where [η_(i)]_(b) is the viscosity of the polymer in slice i of the polymer peak; M_(i) is the weight averaged molecular weight in slice i of the polymer peak measured by light scattering; K and a are the parameters for linear polyethylene (K=0.000579 and α=0.695); and C_(i)=polymer concentration in the slice i in the polymer peak times the mass of the slice squared, M_(i) ².

In a preferred embodiment, the modifier has a shear thinning ratio of complex viscosity at a frequency of 0.01 rad/sec to the complex viscosity at a frequency of 398 rad/sec greater than 53.9*I2^((−0.74)), where I2 is the melt index according to ASTM 1238 D, 190° C., 2.16 kg.

Ethylene Polymers

The modifiers described herein are blended with at least one ethylene polymer to prepare the compositions of this invention.

In one aspect of the invention, the ethylene polymer is selected from ethylene homopolymer, ethylene copolymers, and blends thereof. Useful copolymers comprise one or more comonomers in addition to ethylene and can be a random copolymer, a statistical copolymer, a block copolymer, and/or blends thereof. In particular, the ethylene polymer blends described herein may be physical blends or in situ blends of more than one type of ethylene polymer or blends of ethylene polymers with polymers other than ethylene polymers where the ethylene polymer component is the majority component (e.g., greater than 50 wt %). The method of making the polyethylene is not critical, as it can be made by slurry, solution, gas phase, high pressure, or other suitable processes, and by using catalyst systems appropriate for the polymerization of polyethylenes, such as Ziegler-Natta-type catalysts, chromium catalysts, metallocene-type catalysts, other appropriate catalyst systems, or combinations thereof, or by free-radical polymerization. In a preferred embodiment, the ethylene polymers are made by the catalysts, activators and processes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,342,566; 6,384,142; 5,741,563; PCT publications WO 03/040201; and WO 97/19991. Such catalysts are well known in the art, and are described in, for example, ZIEGLER CATALYSTS (Gerhard Fink, Rolf Mulhaupt and Hans H. Brintzinger, eds., Springer-Verlag 1995); Resconi et al.; and I, II METALLOCENE-BASED POLYOLEFINS (Wiley & Sons 2000).

Preferred ethylene polymers and copolymers that are useful in this invention include those sold by ExxonMobil Chemical Company in Houston Tex., including those sold as ExxonMobil HDPE, ExxonMobil LLDPE, and ExxonMobil LDPE; and those sold under the ENABLE™, EXACT™, EXCEED™, ESCORENE™, EXXCO™, ESCOR™, PAXON™, and OPTEMA™ tradenames.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the polyethylene copolymers preferably have a composition distribution breadth index (CDBI) of 60% or more, preferably 60% to 80%, preferably 65% to 80%. In another preferred embodiment, the ethylene copolymer has a density of 0.910 to 0.950 g/cm³ (preferably 0.915 to 0.940 g/cm³, preferably 0.918 to 0.925 g/cm³) and a CDBI of 60% to 80%, preferably between 65% and 80%. Preferably, these polymers are metallocene polyethylenes (mPEs).

In another embodiment, the ethylene copolymer comprises one or more mPEs described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0260016 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,171, e.g., copolymers of an ethylene and at least one alpha olefin having at least 5 carbon atoms obtainable by a continuous gas phase polymerization using supported catalyst of an activated molecularly discrete catalyst in the substantial absence of an aluminum alkyl based scavenger (e.g., triethylaluminum, trimethylaluminum, tri-isobutyl aluminum, tri-n-hexylaluminum, and the like), which polymer has a Melt Index of from 0.1 to 15 (ASTM D 1238, condition E); a CDBI of at least 70%, a density of from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cc; a Haze (ASTM D1003) value of less than 20; a Melt Index ratio (I21/I2, ASTMD 1238) of from 35 to 80; an averaged Modulus (M) (as defined in U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,426) of from 20,000 to 60,000 psi (13790 to 41369 N/cm²) and a relation between M and the Dart Impact Strength (26 inch, ASTM D 1709) in g/mil (DIS) complying with the formula:

DIS≧0.8×[100+e ^((11.71−0.000268×M+2.183×10) ⁻⁹ ^(×M) ² ⁾],

where “e” represents 2.1783, the base Napierian logarithm, M is the averaged Modulus in psi and DIS is the 26 inch (66 cm) dart impact strength. (See U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,426 for further description of such ethylene polymers.)

In another embodiment, the ethylene polymer comprises a Ziegler-Natta polyethylene, e.g., CDBI less than 50, preferably having a density of 0.910 to 0.950 g/cm³ (preferably 0.915 to 0.940 g/cm³, preferably 0.918 to 0.925 g/cm³).

In another embodiment, the ethylene polymer comprises olefin block copolymers as described in EP 1 716 190.

In another embodiment, the ethylene polymer is produced using chrome based catalysts, such as, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,491,776 including that fluorocarbon does not have to be used in the production. Commercial examples of polymers produced by chromium include the Paxon™ grades of polyethylene produced by ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston Tex.

In another embodiment, the ethylene polymer comprises ethylene and an optional comonomer of propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, octene nonene or decene, and said polymer has a density of more than 0.86 to less than 0.910 g/cm³, an Mw of 20,000 g/mol or more (preferably 50,000 g/mol or more), and a CDBI of 90% or more.

In another embodiment, the ethylene polymer comprises substantially linear ethylene polymers (SLEPs). Substantially linear ethylene polymers and linear ethylene polymers, and their method of preparation are fully described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,272,236; 5,278,272; 3,645,992; 4,937,299; 4,701,432; 4,937,301; 4,935,397; 5,055,438; and EP 129,368; EP 260,999; and WO 90/07526, which are fully incorporated herein by reference. As used herein, “a linear or substantially linear ethylene polymer” means a homopolymer of ethylene or a copolymer of ethylene and one or more alpha-olefin comonomers having a linear backbone (i.e., no cross linking), a specific and limited amount of long-chain branching or no long-chain branching, a narrow molecular weight distribution, a narrow composition distribution (e.g., for alpha-olefin copolymers), or a combination thereof. More explanation of such polymers is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,692, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Preferred ethylene homopolymers and copolymers useful in this invention typically have:

-   1. an M_(w) of 20,000 g/mol or more, 20,000 to 2,000,000 g/mol     preferably 30,000 to 1,000,000, preferably 40,000 to 200,000,     preferably 50,000 to 750,000, as measured by size exclusion     chromatography according to the procedure described below in the     Test Methods section; and/or -   2. an M_(w)/M_(n) of 1 to 40, preferably 1.6 to 20, more preferably     1.8 to 10, more preferably 1.8 to 4, preferably 8 to 25, as measured     by size exclusion chromatography as described below in the Test     Methods section; and/or -   3. a T_(m), of 30° C. to 150° C., preferably 30° C. to 140° C.,     preferably 50° C. to 140° C., more preferably 60° C. to 135° C., as     determined by the DSC method described below in the Test Methods     section; and/or -   4. a crystallinity of 5% to 80%, preferably 10% to 70%, more     preferably 20% to 60% (alternatively, the polyethylene may have a     crystallinity of at least 30%, preferably at least 40%,     alternatively at least 50%), where crystallinity is determined by     the DSC method described below in the Test Methods section; and/or -   5. a heat of fusion of 300 J/g or less, preferably 1 to 260 J/g,     preferably 5 to 240 J/g, preferably 10 to 200 J/g, as measured by     the DSC method described below in the Test Methods section; and/or -   6. a crystallization temperature (Tc) of 15° C. to 130° C.,     preferably 20° C. to 120° C., more preferably 25° C. to 110° C.,     more preferably 60° C. to 125° C., as measured by the method     described below in the Test Methods section; and/or -   7. a heat deflection temperature of 30° C. to 120° C., preferably     40° C. to 100° C., more preferably 50° C. to 80° C., as measured     according to ASTM D648 on injection molded flexure bars, at 66 psi     load (455 kPa); and/or -   8. a Shore hardness (D scale) of 10 or more, preferably 20 or more,     preferably 30 or more, preferably 40 or more, preferably 100 or     less, preferably from 25 to 75 (as measured by ASTM D 2240); and/or -   9. a percent amorphous content of at least 50%, alternatively at     least 60%, alternatively at least 70%, even more alternatively     between 50% and 95%, or 70% or less, preferably 60% or less,     preferably 50% or less, as determined by subtracting the percent     crystallinity from 100 as described in the Test Methods section     below; and/or -   10. a branching index (g′_(vis)) of 0.97 or more, preferably 0.98 or     more, preferably 0.99 or more, preferably 1, as measured using the     method described below in the Test Methods section; and/or -   11. a density of 0.860 to 0.980 g/cc (preferably from 0.880 to 0.940     g/cc, preferably from 0.900 to 0.935 g/cc, preferably from 0.910 to     0.930 g/cc) (alternately from 0.85 to 0.97 g/cm³, preferably 0.86 to     0.965 g/cm³, preferably 0.88 to 0.96 g/cm³, alternatively between     0.860 and 0.910 g/cm³, alternatively between 0.910 and 0.940 g/cm³,     or alternatively between 0.94 to 0.965 g/cm³) (determined according     to ASTM D 1505 using a density-gradient column on a     compression-molded specimen that has been slowly cooled to room     temperature (i.e., over a period of 10 minutes or more) and allowed     to age for a sufficient time that the density is constant within     +/−0.001 g/cm³).

The polyethylene may be an ethylene homopolymer, such as HDPE. In another embodiment the ethylene homopolymer has a molecular weight distribution (M_(w)/M_(n)) of up to 40, preferably ranging from 1.5 to 20, from 1.8 to 10 in another embodiment, from 1.9 to 5 in yet another embodiment, and from 2.0 to 4 in yet another embodiment. In another embodiment, the 1% secant modulus (determined according to ASTM D 882) of the ethylene polymer falls in a range of 200 to 1000 MPa, and from 300 to 800 MPa in another embodiment, and from 400 to 750 MPa in yet another embodiment, wherein a desirable polymer may exhibit any combination of any upper flexural modulus limit with any lower flexural modulus limit. The melt index (MI) of preferred ethylene homopolymers range from 0.05 to 800 dg/min in one embodiment, and from 0.1 to 100 dg/min in another embodiment, as measured according to ASTM D1238 (190° C., 2.16 kg).

In a preferred embodiment, the polyethylene comprises less than 20 mol % propylene units (preferably less than 15 mol %, preferably less than 10 mol %, preferably less than 5 mol %, preferably 0 mol % propylene units).

In another embodiment of the invention, the ethylene polymer is an ethylene copolymer, either random, or block, of ethylene and one or more comonomers selected from C₃ to C₂₀ α-olefins, typically from C₃ to C₁₀ α-olefins in another embodiment. Preferably, the comonomers are present from 0.1 wt % to 50 wt % of the copolymer in one embodiment, from 0.5 wt % to 30 wt % in another embodiment, from 1 wt % to 15 wt % in yet another embodiment, and from 0.1 wt % to 5 wt % in yet another embodiment, wherein a desirable copolymer comprises ethylene and C₃ to C₂₀ α-olefin derived units in any combination of any upper wt % limit with any lower wt % limit described herein. Preferably, the ethylene copolymer will have a weight average molecular weight of from greater than 8,000 g/mol in one embodiment, greater than 10,000 g/mol in another embodiment, greater than 12,000 g/mol in yet another embodiment, greater than 20,000 g/mol in yet another embodiment, less than 1,000,000 g/mol in yet another embodiment, and less than 800,000 g/mol in yet another embodiment, wherein a desirable copolymer may comprise any upper molecular weight limit with any lower molecular weight limit described herein.

In another embodiment, the ethylene copolymer comprises ethylene and one or more other monomers selected from the group consisting of C₃ to C₂₀ linear, branched or cyclic monomers, and in some embodiments is a C₃ to C₁₂ linear or branched alpha-olefin, preferably butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, nonene, decene, dodecene, 4-methyl-pentene-1,3-methyl pentene-1,3,5,5-trimethyl-hexene-1, and the like. The monomers may be present at up to 50 wt %, preferably from 0 wt % to 40 wt %, more preferably from 0.5 wt % to 30 wt %, more preferably from 2 wt % to 30 wt %, more preferably from 5 wt % to 20 wt %.

Preferred linear alpha-olefins useful as comonomers for the ethylene copolymers useful in this invention include C₃ to C₈ alpha-olefins, more preferably 1-butene, 1-hexene, and 1-octene, even more preferably 1-hexene. Preferred branched alpha-olefins include 4-methyl-1-pentene, 3-methyl-1-pentene, and 3,5,5-trimethyl-1-hexene, 5-ethyl-1-nonene. Preferred aromatic-group-containing monomers contain up to 30 carbon atoms. Suitable aromatic-group-containing monomers comprise at least one aromatic structure, preferably from one to three, more preferably a phenyl, indenyl, fluorenyl, or naphthyl moiety. The aromatic-group-containing monomer further comprises at least one polymerizable double bond such that after polymerization, the aromatic structure will be pendant from the polymer backbone. The aromatic-group containing monomer may further be substituted with one or more hydrocarbyl groups including, but not limited to, C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl groups. Additionally, two adjacent substitutions may be joined to form a ring structure. Preferred aromatic-group-containing monomers contain at least one aromatic structure appended to a polymerizable olefinic moiety. Particularly, preferred aromatic monomers include styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, para-alkylstyrenes, vinyltoluenes, vinylnaphthalene, allyl benzene, and indene, especially styrene, paramethyl styrene, 4-phenyl-1-butene, and allyl benzene.

Preferred diolefin monomers useful in this invention include any hydrocarbon structure, preferably C₄ to C₃₀, having at least two unsaturated bonds, wherein at least two of the unsaturated bonds are readily incorporated into a polymer by either a stereospecific or a non-stereospecific catalyst(s). It is further preferred that the diolefin monomers be selected from alpha, omega-diene monomers (i.e., di-vinyl monomers). More preferably, the diolefin monomers are linear di-vinyl monomers, most preferably those containing from 4 to 30 carbon atoms. Examples of preferred dienes include butadiene, pentadiene, hexadiene, heptadiene, octadiene, nonadiene, decadiene, undecadiene, dodecadiene, tridecadiene, tetradecadiene, pentadecadiene, hexadecadiene, heptadecadiene, octadecadiene, nonadecadiene, icosadiene, heneicosadiene, docosadiene, tricosadiene, tetracosadiene, pentacosadiene, hexacosadiene, heptacosadiene, octacosadiene, nonacosadiene, triacontadiene, particularly preferred dienes include 1,6-heptadiene, 1,7-octadiene, 1,8-nonadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 1,10-undecadiene, 1,11-dodecadiene, 1,12-tridecadiene, 1,13-tetradecadiene, and low molecular weight polybutadienes (M_(w) less than 1000 g/mol). Preferred cyclic dienes include cyclopentadiene, vinylnorbornene, norbornadiene, ethylidene norbornene, divinylbenzene, dicyclopentadiene, or higher ring containing diolefins with or without substituents at various ring positions.

In a particularly desirable embodiment, the ethylene polymer used herein is a plastomer having a density of 0.91 g/cm³ or less, as determined by ASTM D1505, and a melt index (MI) between 0.1 and 50 dg/min, as determined by ASTM D1238 (190° C., 2.16 kg). In one embodiment, the useful plastomer is a copolymer of ethylene and at least one C₃ to C₁₂ α-olefin, preferably C₄ to C₈ α-olefins. The amount of C₃ to C₁₂ α-olefin present in the plastomer ranges from 2 wt % to 35 wt % in one embodiment, from 5 wt % to 30 wt % in another embodiment, from 15 wt % to 25 wt % in yet another embodiment, and from 20 wt % to 30 wt % in yet another embodiment.

Preferred plastomers useful in the invention have a melt index of between 0.1 and 40 dg/min in one embodiment, from 0.2 to 20 dg/min in another embodiment, and from 0.5 to 10 dg/min in yet another embodiment. The average molecular weight of preferred plastomers ranges from 10,000 to 800,000 g/mole in one embodiment, and from 20,000 to 700,000 g/mole in another embodiment. The 1% secant modulus (ASTM D 882) of preferred plastomers ranges from 5 MPa to 100 MPa in one embodiment and from 10 MPa to 50 MPa in another embodiment. Further, preferred plastomers that are useful in compositions of the present invention have a melting temperature (T_(m)) of from 30° C. to 100° C. in one embodiment, and from 40° C. to 80° C. in another embodiment. The degree of crystallinity of preferred plastomers is between 3% and 30%.

Particularly, preferred plastomers useful in the present invention are synthesized using a single-site catalyst, such as a metallocene catalyst, and comprise copolymers of ethylene and higher α-olefins, such as propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene and 1-octene, and which contain enough of one or more of these comonomer units to yield a density between 0.86 and 0.91 g/cm³ in one embodiment. The molecular weight distribution (M_(w)/M_(n)) of desirable plastomers ranges from 1.5 to 5 in one embodiment and from 2.0 to 4 in another embodiment. Examples of commercially available plastomers are EXACT™ 4150, a copolymer of ethylene and 1-hexene, the 1-hexene derived units making up from 18 wt % to 22 wt % of the plastomer and having a density of 0.895 g/cm³ and MI of 3.5 dg/min (ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, Tex.); and EXACT™ 8201, a copolymer of ethylene and 1-octene, the 1-octene derived units making up from 26 wt % to 30 wt % of the plastomer, and having a density of 0.882 g/cm³ and MI of 1.0 dg/min (ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, Tex.).

The melt index (MI) of preferred ethylene polymers, as measured according to ASTM D1238 (190° C., 2.16 kg), ranges from 0.02 dg/min to 800 dg/min in one embodiment, from 0.05 to 500 dg/min in another embodiment, and from 0.1 to 100 dg/min in another embodiment. In another embodiment of the present invention, the polyethylene has a MI of 20 dg/min or less, 7 dg/min or less, 5 dg/min or less, 2 dg/min or less, or less than 2 dg/min. In yet another embodiment, the polymer has a Mooney viscosity, ML(1+4) @ 125° C. (measured according to ASTM D1646) of 100 or less, 75 or less, 60 or less, or 30 or less.

In yet another embodiment, the 1% secant modulus of preferred ethylene polymers ranges from 5 MPa to 1000 MPa, from 10 MPa to 800 MPa in another embodiment, and from MPa to 200 MPa in yet another embodiment, wherein a desirable polymer may exhibit any combination of any upper flexural modulus limit with any lower flexural modulus limit.

The crystallinity of the polymer may also be expressed in terms of crystallinity percent. The thermal energy for the highest order of polyethylene is estimated at 290 J/g. That is, 100% crystallinity is equal to 290 J/g. Preferably, the polymer has a crystallinity (as determined by DSC as described in the Test methods section below) within the range having an upper limit of 80%, 60%, 40%, 30%, or 20%, and a lower limit of 1%, 3%, 5%, 8%, or 10%. Alternately, the polymer has a crystallinity of 5% to 80%, preferably 10% to 70, more preferably 20% to 60%. (Alternatively, the polyethylene may have a crystallinity of at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, alternatively at least 50%, where crystallinity is determined.)

The level of crystallinity may be reflected in the melting point. In one embodiment of the present invention, the ethylene polymer has a single melting point. Typically, a sample of ethylene copolymer will show secondary melting peaks adjacent to the principal peak, which is considered together as a single melting point. The highest of these peaks is considered the melting point. The polymer preferably has a melting point (as determined by DSC as described in the Test methods section below) ranging from an upper limit of 150° C., 130° C., or 100° C. to a lower limit of 0° C., 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., or 45° C.

Preferred ethylene copolymers useful herein are preferably a copolymer comprising at least 50 wt % ethylene and having up to 50 wt %, preferably 1 wt % to 35 wt %, even more preferably 1 wt % to 6 wt %, of a C₃ to C₂₀ comonomer (preferably hexene or octene), based upon the weight of the copolymer. The polyethylene copolymers preferably have a composition distribution breadth index (CDBI) of 60% or more, preferably 60% to 80%, preferably 65% to 80%. In another preferred embodiment, the ethylene copolymer has a density of 0.910 to 0.950 g/cm³ (preferably 0.915 to 0.940 g/cm³, preferably 0.918 to 0.925 g/cm³) and a CDBI of 60% to 80%, preferably between 65% and 80%. Preferably, these polymers are metallocene polyethylenes (mPEs).

Further useful mPEs include those described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0260016 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,171, e.g., copolymers of an ethylene and at least one alpha olefin having at least 5 carbon atoms obtainable by a continuous gas phase polymerization using supported catalyst of an activated molecularly discrete catalyst in the substantial absence of an aluminum alkyl based scavenger (e.g., triethylaluminum, trimethylaluminum, tri-isobutyl aluminum, tri-n-hexylaluminum, and the like), which the polymer has a Melt Index of from 0.1 to 15 (ASTM D 1238, condition E); a CDBI of at least 70%; a density of from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cc; a Haze (ASTM D1003) value of less than 20; a Melt Index ratio (I21/I1, ASTMD 1238) of from 35 to 80; an averaged Modulus (M) (as defined in U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,426) of from 20,000 to 60,000 psi (13790 to 41369 N/cm²); and a relation between M and the Dart Impact Strength (26 inch, ASTM D 1709) in g/mil (DIS) complying with the formula:

DIS≧0.8×[100+e ^((11.71−0.000268×M+2.183×10) ⁻⁹ ^(×M) ² ⁾],

where “e” represents 2.1783, the base Napierian logarithm, M is the averaged Modulus in psi, and DIS is the 26 inch (66 cm) dart impact strength.

Useful mPE homopolymers or copolymers may be produced using mono- or bis-cyclopentadienyl transition metal catalysts in combination with an activator of alumoxane and/or a non-coordinating anion in solution, slurry, high pressure, or gas phase. The catalyst and activator may be supported or unsupported and the cyclopentadienyl rings may be substituted or unsubstituted. Several commercial products produced with such catalyst/activator combinations are commercially available from ExxonMobil Chemical Company in Baytown, Tex. under the tradename EXCEED™ Polyethylene or ENABLE™ Polyethylene.

Additives

The polyethylene compositions of the present invention may also contain other additives. Those additives include antioxidants; nucleating agents; acid scavengers; stabilizers; anticorrosion agents; plasticizers; blowing agents; cavitating agents; surfactants; adjuvants; block; antiblock; UV absorbers, such as, chain-breaking antioxidants, oils, etc.; quenchers; antistatic agents; slip agents; processing aids; UV stabilizers; neutralizers; lubricants; waxes; color masterbatches; pigments; dyes and fillers; and cure agents, such as, peroxide. In a preferred embodiment, the additives may each individually present at 0.01 wt % to 50 wt % in one embodiment, from 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % in another embodiment, and from 0.1 wt % to 6 wt % in another embodiment, based upon the weight of the composition. In a preferred embodiment, dyes and other colorants common in the industry may be present from 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % in one embodiment and from 0.1 wt % to 6 wt % in another embodiment, based upon the weight of the composition. Preferred fillers, cavitating agents, and/or nucleating agents include titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, silica, silicon dioxide, carbon black, sand, glass beads, mineral aggregates, talc, clay, and the like.

In particular, antioxidants and stabilizers, such as, organic phosphites, hindered amines, and phenolic antioxidants, may be present in the polyethylene compositions of the invention from 0.001 wt % to 2 wt %, based upon the weight of the composition, in one embodiment; from 0.01 wt % to 0.8 wt % in another embodiment; and from 0.02 wt % to 0.5 wt % in yet another embodiment. Non-limiting examples of organic phosphites that are suitable are tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphite (IRGAFOS 168) and di(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)pentaerithritol diphosphite (ULTRANOX 626). Non-limiting examples of hindered amines include poly[2-N,N′-di(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)-hexanediamine-4-(1-amino-1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutane)sym-triazine] (CHIMASORB 944) and bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate (TINUVIN 770). Non-limiting examples of phenolic antioxidants include pentaerythrityl tetrakis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (IRGANOX 1010) and 1,3,5-Tri(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl-isocyanurate (IRGANOX 3114).

Fillers may be present from 0.001 wt % to 50 wt % in one embodiment, from 0.01 wt % to 25 wt %, based upon the weight of the composition, in another embodiment, and from 0.2 wt % to 10 wt % in yet another embodiment. Desirable fillers include, but are not limited to, titanium dioxide; silicon carbide; silica (and other oxides of silica, precipitated or not); antimony oxide; lead carbonate; zinc white; lithopone; zircon; corundum; spinel; apatite; Barytes powder; barium sulfate; magnesiter; carbon black; dolomite; calcium carbonate; talc and hydrotalcite compounds of the ions Mg, Ca, or Zn with Al, Cr, or Fe and CO₃, and/or HPO₄, hydrated or not; quartz powder; hydrochloric magnesium carbonate; glass fibers; clays; alumina and other metal oxides and carbonates; metal hydroxides; chrome; phosphorous and brominated flame retardants; antimony trioxide; silica; silicone; and blends thereof. These fillers may particularly include any other fillers and porous fillers and supports known in the art, and may have the modifier of the invention pre-contacted or pre-absorbed into the filler prior to addition to the ethylene polymer in one embodiment.

Metal salts of fatty acids may also be present in the polyethylene compositions of the present invention. Such salts may be present from 0.001 wt % to 1 wt % of the composition in one embodiment and from 0.01 wt % to 0.8 wt % in another embodiment. Examples of fatty acids include lauric acid, stearic acid, succinic acid, stearyl lactic acid, lactic acid, phthalic acid, benzoic acid, hydroxystearic acid, ricinoleic acid, naphthenic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, erucic acid, or any monocarboxylic aliphatic saturated or unsaturated acid having a chain length of 7 to 22 carbon atoms. Suitable metals include Li, Na, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cd, Al, Sn, Pb, and so forth. Preferably, metal salts of fatty acids are magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, sodium stearate, zinc stearate, calcium oleate, zinc oleate, and magnesium oleate.

In a preferred embodiment, slip additives may be present in the compositions of this invention. Preferably, the slip additives are present at 0.001 wt % to 1 wt % (10 ppm to 10,000 ppm), more preferably 0.01 wt % to 0.5 wt % (100 ppm to 5000 ppm), more preferably 0.1 wt % to 0.3 wt % (1000 ppm to 3000 ppm), based upon the weight of the composition. Desirable slip additives include, but are not limited to, saturated fatty acid amides (such as palmitamide, stearamide, arachidamide, behenamide, stearyl stearamide, palmityl pamitamide, and stearyl arachidamide); saturated ethylene-bis-amides (such as stearamido-ethyl-stearamide, stearamido-ethyl-palmitamide, and palmitamido-ethyl-stearamide); unsaturated fatty acid amides (such as oleamide, erucamide, and linoleamide); unsaturated ethylene-bis-amides (such as ethylene-bis-stearamide, ethylene-bis-oleamide, stearyl-erucamide, erucamido-ethyl-erucamide, oleamido-ethyl-oleamide, erucamido-ethyl-oleamide, oleamido-ethyl-lerucamide, stearamido-ethyl-erucamide, erucamido-ethyl-palmitamide, and palmitamido-ethyl-oleamide); glycols; polyether polyols (such as Carbowax); acids of aliphatic hydrocarbons (such as adipic acid and sebacic acid); esters of aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons (such as glycerol monostearate and pentaerythritol monooleate); styrene-alpha-methyl styrene; fluoro-containing polymers (such as polytetrafluoroethylene, fluorine oils, and fluorine waxes); silicon compounds (such as silanes and silicone polymers, including silicone oils, modified silicones and cured silicones); sodium alkylsulfates; alkyl phosphoric acid esters; and mixtures thereof. Preferred slip additives are unsaturated fatty acid amides, which are commercially available from Crompton (Kekamide™ grades), Croda Universal (Crodamide™ grades), and Akzo Nobel Amides Co. Ltd. (ARMOSLIP™ grades). Particularly, preferred slip agents include unsaturated fatty acid amides having the chemical structure:

CH₃(CH₂)₇CH═CH(CH₂)_(x)CONH₂

where x is 5 to 15. Preferred versions include: 1) Erucamide, where x is 11, also referred to as cis-13-docosenoamide (commercially available as ARMOSLIP E); 2) Oleylamide, where x is 8; and 3) Oleamide, where x is 7, also referred to as N-9-octadecenyl-hexadecanamide. In another embodiment, stearamide is also useful in this invention. Other preferred slip additives include those described in WO 2004/005601A1.

In some embodiments, the polyethylene compositions produced by this invention may be blended with one or more other polymers, including but not limited to, thermoplastic polymer(s) and/or elastomer(s).

By “thermoplastic polymer(s)” is meant a polymer that can be melted by heat and then cooled without appreciable change in solid-state properties before and after heating. Thermoplastic polymers typically include, but are not limited to, polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polysulfones, polyacetals, polylactones, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, styrene-acrylonitrile resins, styrene maleic anhydride, polyimides, aromatic polyketones, or mixtures of two or more of the above. Preferred polyolefins include, but are not limited to, polymers comprising one or more linear, branched or cyclic C₂ to C₄₀ olefins, preferably polymers comprising ethylene copolymerized with one or more C₃ to C₄₀ olefins, preferably a C₃ to C₂₀ alpha olefin, more preferably C₃ to C₁₀ alpha-olefins. A particularly preferred example is polybutene. The most preferred polyolefin is polypropylene. Other preferred polyolefins include, but are not limited to, polymers comprising ethylene including but not limited to ethylene copolymerized with a C₃ to C₄₀ olefin, preferably a C₃ to C₂₀ alpha olefin, more preferably propylene, butene, hexene, and/or octene.

By “elastomers” is meant all natural and synthetic rubbers, including those defined in ASTM D1566. Examples of preferred elastomers include, but are not limited to, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, styrenic block copolymer rubbers (including SEBS, SI, SIS, SB, SBS, SIBS, and the like, where S=styrene, EB=random ethylene+butene, I=isoprene, and B=butadiene), butyl rubber, halobutyl rubber, copolymers of isobutylene and para-alkylstyrene, halogenated copolymers of isobutylene and para-alkylstyrene, natural rubber, polyisoprene, copolymers of butadiene with acrylonitrile, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, and polybutadiene rubber (both cis and trans).

In another embodiment, the blend comprising the modifier may further be combined with one or more polymers polymerizable by a high-pressure free radical process, polyvinylchloride, polybutene-1, isotactic polybutene, ABS resins, block copolymer, styrenic block copolymers, polyamides, polycarbonates, PET resins, crosslinked polyethylene, copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and polymers of aromatic monomers such as polystyrene, poly-1 esters, polyacetal, polyvinylidine fluoride, polyethylene glycols, and/or polyisobutylene.

Tackifiers may be blended with the ethylene compositions of this invention. Examples of useful tackifiers include, but are not limited to, aliphatic hydrocarbon resins, aromatic modified aliphatic hydrocarbon resins, hydrogenated polycyclopentadiene resins, polycyclopentadiene resins, gum rosins, gum rosin esters, wood rosins, wood rosin esters, tall oil rosins, tall oil rosin esters, polyterpenes, aromatic modified polyterpenes, terpene phenolics, aromatic modified hydrogenated polycyclopentadiene resins, hydrogenated aliphatic resin, hydrogenated aliphatic aromatic resins, hydrogenated terpenes and modified terpenes, and hydrogenated rosin esters. In some embodiments, the tackifier is hydrogenated. In other embodiments the tackifier is non-polar. (Non-polar is meant that the tackifier is substantially free of monomers having polar groups. Preferably, the polar groups are not present; however, if they are, preferably they are present at not more than 5 wt %, preferably at not more than 2 wt %, and even more preferably at not more than 0.5 wt %, based upon the weight of the tackifier.) In some embodiments, the tackifier has a softening point (Ring and Ball, as measured by ASTM E-28) of 80° C. to 140° C., preferably 100° C. to 130° C. The tackifier, if present, is typically present at about 1 wt % to about 50 wt %, based upon the weight of the blend, more preferably 10 wt % to 40 wt %, and even more preferably 20 wt % to 40 wt %. Preferably, however, tackifier is not present, or if present, is present at less than 10 wt %, preferably less than 5 wt %, and more preferably at less than 1 wt %.

Blending and Processing

The compositions and blends described herein may be formed using conventional equipment and methods, such as by dry blending the individual components and subsequently melt mixing in a mixer, or by mixing the components together directly in a mixer, such as, for example, a Banbury mixer, a Haake mixer, a Brabender internal mixer, or a single or twin-screw extruder, which may include a compounding extruder and a side-arm extruder used directly downstream of a polymerization process. Additionally, additives may be included in the blend, in one or more components of the blend, and/or in a product formed from the blend, such as a film, as desired. Such additives are well known in the art, and can include, for example: fillers; antioxidants (e.g., hindered phenolics such as IRGANOX™ 1010 or IRGANOX™ 1076 available from Ciba-Geigy); phosphites (e.g., IRGAFOS™ 168 available from Ciba-Geigy); anti-cling additives; tackifiers, such as polybutenes, terpene resins, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon resins, alkali metal and glycerol stearates, and hydrogenated rosins; UV stabilizers; heat stabilizers; antiblocking agents; release agents; anti-static agents; pigments; colorants; dyes; waxes; silica; fillers; talc; and the like.

The polymers suitable for use in the present invention can be in any physical form when used to blend with the modifier of the invention. In one embodiment, reactor granules, defined as the granules of polymer that are isolated from the polymerization reactor prior to any processing procedures, are used to blend with the modifier of the invention. The reactor granules typically have an average diameter of from 50 μm to 10 mm in one embodiment and from 10 μm to 5 mm in another embodiment. In another embodiment, the polymer is in the form of pellets, such as, for example, having an average diameter of from 1 mm to 10 mm that are formed from melt extrusion of the reactor granules.

The components of the present invention can be blended by any suitable means, and are typically blended to yield an intimately mixed composition which may be a homogeneous, single phase mixture. For example, they may be blended in a static mixer, batch mixer, extruder, or a combination thereof, that is sufficient to achieve an adequate dispersion of modifier in the polymer.

The mixing step may involve first dry blending using, for example, a tumble blender, where the polymer and modifier are brought into contact first, without intimate mixing, which may then be followed by melt blending in an extruder. Another method of blending the components is to melt blend the polymer pellets with the modifier directly in an extruder or batch mixer. It may also involve a “master batch” approach, where the final modifier concentration is achieved by combining neat polymer with an appropriate amount of modified polymer that had been previously prepared at a higher modifier concentration. The mixing step may take place as part of a processing method used to fabricate articles, such as in the extruder on an injection molding machine or blown-film line or fiber line.

In a preferred aspect of the invention, the ethylene polymer and modifier are “melt blended” in an apparatus such as an extruder (single or twin screw) or batch mixer. The ethylene polymer may also be “dry blended” with the modifier using a tumbler, double-cone blender, ribbon blender, or other suitable blender. In yet another embodiment, the ethylene polymer and modifier are blended by a combination of approaches, for example, a tumbler followed by an extruder. A preferred method of blending is to include the final stage of blending as part of an article fabrication step, such as in the extruder used to melt and convey the composition for a molding step like injection molding or blow molding. This could include direct injection of the modifier into the extruder, either before or after the polyethylene is fully melted. Extrusion technology for polyethylene is described in more detail in, for example, PLASTICS EXTRUSION TECHNOLOGY 26-37 (Friedhelm Hensen, ed. Hanser Publishers 1988).

In another aspect of the invention, the polyethylene composition may be blended in solution by any suitable means, by using a solvent that dissolves both components to a significant extent. The blending may occur at any temperature or pressure where the modifier and the ethylene polymer remain in solution. Preferred conditions include blending at high temperatures, such as 10° C. or more, preferably 20° C. or more over the melting point of the ethylene polymer. Such solution blending would be particularly useful in processes where the ethylene polymer is made by solution process and the modifier is added directly to the finishing train, rather than added to the dry polymer in another blending step altogether. Such solution blending would also be particularly useful in processes where the ethylene polymer is made in a bulk or high pressure process where both the polymer and the modifier were soluble in the monomer. As with the solution process the modifier is added directly to the finishing train, rather than added to the dry polymer in another blending step altogether.

Thus, in the cases of fabrication of articles using methods that involve an extruder, such as injection molding or blow molding, any means of combining the polyethylene and modifier to achieve the desired composition serve equally well as fully formulated pre-blended pellets, since the forming process includes a re-melting and mixing of the raw material; example combinations include simple blends of neat polymer pellets and modifier, of neat polymer granules and modifier, of neat polymer pellets and pre-blended pellets, and of neat polymer granules and pre-blended pellets. Here, “pre-blended pellets” means pellets of a polyethylene composition comprising ethylene polymer and modifier at some concentration. In the process of compression molding, however, little mixing of the melt components occurs and pre-blended pellets would be preferred over simple blends of the constituent pellets (or granules) and modifier. Those skilled in the art will be able to determine the appropriate procedure for blending of the polymers to balance the need for intimate mixing of the component ingredients with the desire for process economy.

Applications

The enhanced properties of the polyethylene compositions described herein are useful in a wide variety of applications, including transparent articles, such as cook and storage ware, and in other articles, such as furniture, automotive components, toys, sportswear, medical devices, sterilizable medical devices and sterilization containers, nonwoven fibers and fabrics and articles therefrom, such as drapes, gowns, filters, hygiene products, diapers, and films, oriented films, sheets, tubes, pipes and other items where softness, high impact strength, and impact strength below freezing is important.

Additional examples of desirable articles of manufacture made from compositions of the invention include films, sheets, fibers, woven and nonwoven fabrics, automotive components, furniture, sporting equipment, food storage containers, transparent and semi-transparent articles, toys, tubing and pipes, sheets, packaging, bags, sacks, coatings, caps, closures, crates, pallets, cups, non-food containers, pails, insulation, and medical devices. Further examples include automotive components, wire and cable jacketing, pipes, agricultural films, geomembranes, toys, sporting equipment, medical devices, casting and blowing of packaging films, extrusion of tubing, pipes and profiles, sporting equipment, outdoor furniture (e.g., garden furniture) and playground equipment, boat and water craft components, and other such articles. In particular, the compositions are suitable for automotive components such as bumpers, grills, trim parts, dashboards and instrument panels, exterior door and hood components, spoiler, wind screen, hub caps, mirror housing, body panel, protective side molding, and other interior and external components associated with automobiles, trucks, boats, and other vehicles.

Other useful articles and goods may be formed economically by the practice of our invention including: crates, containers, packaging, labware, such as roller bottles for culture growth and media bottles, office floor mats, instrumentation sample holders and sample windows; liquid storage containers such as bags, pouches, and bottles for storage and IV infusion of blood or solutions; packaging material including those for any medical device or drugs including unit-dose or other blister or bubble pack, as well as for wrapping or containing food preserved by irradiation. Other useful items include medical tubing and valves for any medical device including infusion kits, catheters, and respiratory therapy, as well as packaging materials for medical devices or food which is irradiated including trays, as well as stored liquid, particularly water, milk, or juice, containers including unit servings and bulk storage containers, as well as transfer means such as tubing, pipes, and such.

Fabrication of these articles may be accomplished by injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, blow molding, rotational molding (rotomolding), fiber spinning, spin bonding or melt blown bonding such as for non-woven fabrics, film blowing, stretching for oriented films, casting such as for films (including use of chill rolls), profile deformation, coating (film, wire, and cable), compression molding, calendering, foaming, laminating, transfer molding, cast molding, pultrusion, protrusion, draw reduction, and other common processing methods, or combinations thereof, such as is known in the art and described in, for example, PLASTICS PROCESSING (Radian Corporation, Noyes Data Corp. 1986). Use of at least thermoforming or film applications allows for the possibility of and derivation of benefits from uniaxial or biaxial orientation. Sufficient mixing should take place to assure that an intimately mixed, preferably uniform, blend will be produced prior to conversion into a finished product.

Adhesives

The polymers of this invention or blends thereof can be used as adhesives, either alone or combined with tackifiers. Preferred tackifiers are described above. The tackifier is typically present at about 1 wt % to about 50 wt %, based upon the weight of the blend, more preferably 10 wt % to 40 wt %, even more preferably 20 wt % to 40 wt %. Other additives, as described above, may be added also.

The adhesives of this invention can be used in any adhesive application including, but not limited to, disposables, packaging, laminates, pressure sensitive adhesives, tapes labels, wood binding, paper binding, non-wovens, road marking, reflective coatings, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesives of this invention can be used for disposable diaper and napkin chassis construction, elastic attachment in disposable goods converting, packaging, labeling, bookbinding, woodworking, and other assembly applications. Particularly, preferred applications include: baby diaper leg elastic, diaper frontal tape, diaper standing leg cuff, diaper chassis construction, diaper core stabilization, diaper liquid transfer layer, diaper outer cover lamination, diaper elastic cuff lamination, feminine napkin core stabilization, feminine napkin adhesive strip, industrial filtration bonding, industrial filter material lamination, filter mask lamination, surgical gown lamination, surgical drape lamination, and perishable products packaging.

Films

The compositions described above and the blends thereof may be formed into monolayer or multilayer films. These films may be formed by any of the conventional techniques known in the art including extrusion, co-extrusion, extrusion coating, lamination, blowing, and casting. The film may be obtained by the flat film or tubular process which may be followed by orientation in a uniaxial direction or in two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the film. One or more of the layers of the film may be oriented in the transverse and/or longitudinal directions to the same or different extents. This orientation may occur before or after the individual layers are brought together. For example, a polyethylene layer can be extrusion coated or laminated onto an oriented polypropylene layer or the polyethylene and polypropylene can be coextruded together into a film then oriented. Likewise, oriented polypropylene could be laminated to oriented polyethylene or oriented polyethylene could be coated onto polypropylene then optionally the combination could be oriented even further. Typically the films are oriented in the Machine Direction (MD) at a ratio of up to 15, preferably between 5 and 7, and in the Transverse Direction (TD) at a ratio of up to 15, preferably 7 to 9. However, in another embodiment, the film is oriented to the same extent in both the MD and TD directions.

In multilayer constructions, the other layer(s) may be any layer typically included in multilayer film structures. For example, the other layer or layers may be:

1. Polyolefins.

Preferred polyolefins include homopolymers or copolymers of C₂ to C₄₀ olefins, preferably C₂ to C₂₀ olefins, preferably a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and another olefin or alpha-olefin (ethylene is defined to be an alpha-olefin for purposes of this invention). Preferably, homopolyethylene, homopolypropylene, propylene copolymerized with ethylene and/or butene, ethylene copolymerized with one or more of propylene, butene or hexene, and optional dienes. Preferred examples include thermoplastic polymers such as ultra low density polyethylene, very low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, isotactic polypropylene, highly isotactic polypropylene, syndiotactic polypropylene, random copolymer of propylene and ethylene and/or butene and/or hexene, elastomers such as ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, neoprene, and blends of thermoplastic polymers and elastomers, such as, for example, thermoplastic elastomers and rubber toughened plastics.

2. Polar Polymers.

Preferred polar polymers include homopolymers and copolymers of esters, amides, acetates, anhydrides, copolymers of a C₂ to C₂₀ olefin, such as ethylene, and/or propylene, and/or butene with one or more polar monomers such as acetates, anhydrides, esters, alcohol, and/or acrylics. Preferred examples include polyesters, polyamides, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, and polyvinyl chloride.

3. Cationic Polymers.

Preferred cationic polymers include polymers or copolymers of geminally disubstituted olefins, alpha-heteroatom olefins, and/or styrenic monomers. Preferred geminally disubstituted olefins include isobutylene, isopentene, isoheptene, isohexane, isooctene, isodecene, and isododecene. Preferred alpha-heteroatom olefins include vinyl ether and vinyl carbazole, preferred styrenic monomers include styrene, alkyl styrene, para-alkyl styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, chloro-styrene, and bromo-para-methyl styrene. Preferred examples of cationic polymers include butyl rubber, isobutylene copolymerized with para methyl styrene, polystyrene, and poly-alpha-methyl styrene.

4. Miscellaneous.

Other preferred layers can be paper, wood, cardboard, metal, metal foils (such as aluminum foil and tin foil), metallized surfaces, glass (including silicon oxide (SiO_(X)) coatings applied by evaporating silicon oxide onto a film surface), fabric, spunbonded fibers, and non-wovens (particularly, polypropylene spunbonded fibers or non-wovens), and substrates coated with inks, dyes, pigments, and the like.

The films may vary in thickness depending on the intended application; however, films of a thickness from 1 μm to 250 μm are usually suitable. Films intended for packaging are usually from 10 to 60 micron thick. The thickness of the sealing layer is typically 0.2 μm to 50 μm. There may be a sealing layer on both the inner and outer surfaces of the film or the sealing layer may be present on only the inner or the outer surface.

Additives such as block, antiblock, antioxidants, pigments, fillers, processing aids, UV stabilizers, neutralizers, lubricants, surfactants, and/or nucleating agents may also be present in one or more than one layer in the films. Preferred additives include silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, polydimethylsiloxane, talc, dyes, wax, calcium sterate, carbon black, low molecular weight resins, and glass beads, preferably, these additives are present at from 0.1 ppm to 1000 ppm.

In another embodiment, one more layers may be modified by corona treatment, electron beam irradiation, gamma irradiation, or microwave irradiation. In a preferred embodiment, one or both of the surface layers is modified by corona treatment.

The films described herein may also comprise from 5 wt % to 60 wt %, based upon the weight of the polymer and the resin, of a hydrocarbon resin. The resin may be combined with the polymer of the seal layer(s) or may be combined with the polymer in the core layer(s). The resin preferably has a softening point above 100° C., even more preferably from 130° C. to 180° C. Preferred hydrocarbon resins include those described above. The films comprising a hydrocarbon resin may be oriented in uniaxial or biaxial directions to the same or different degrees. For more information on blends of tackifiers and modifiers useful herein, see U.S. Ser. No. 60/617,594, filed Oct. 8, 2004.

The films described above may be used as stretch and/or cling films. Stretch/cling films are used in various bundling, packaging, and palletizing operations. To impart cling properties to, or improve the cling properties of, a particular film, a number of well-known tackifying additives have been utilized. Common tackifying additives include polybutenes, terpene resins, alkali metal stearates and hydrogenated rosins, and rosin esters. The cling properties of a film can also be modified by the well-known physical process referred to as corona discharge. Some polymers (such as ethylene methyl acrylate copolymers) do not need cling additives and can be used as cling layers without tackifiers. Stretch/clings films may comprise a slip layer comprising any suitable polyolefin or combination of polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of ethylene and propylene, and polymers obtained from ethylene and/or propylene copolymerized with minor amounts of other olefins, particularly C₄ to C₁₂ olefins. Particularly, preferred is linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). Additionally, the slip layer may include one or more anticling (slip and/or antiblock) additives which may be added during the production of the polyolefin or subsequently blended in to improve the slip properties of this layer. Such additives are well-known in the art and include, for example, silicas, silicates, diatomaceous earths, talcs, and various lubricants. These additives are preferably utilized in amounts ranging from about 100 ppm to about 20,000 ppm, more preferably between about 500 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, by weight based upon the weight of the slip layer. The slip layer may, if desired, also include one or more other additives as described above.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a gauge variation that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a dart impact strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a gauge variation that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a MD Tear strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a haze that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a dart impact strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a haze that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a MD Tear strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a haze of 10% or less.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a haze that is at least 10% less than the haze measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a dart impact strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the dart impact strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have an MD Tear strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the MD Tear strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has a Dart Drop, in g/mil, that is within 30% of the Dart Drop measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has an MD Tear strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the MD Tear strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a strain hardening ratio that is at least 10% greater than the strain hardening ratio measured on a composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the film has a Dart Drop, in g/mil, that is within 30% of the Dart Drop measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In another embodiment of the invention, films comprising blends described herein have a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has a haze that is at least 10% less than haze measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.

In a preferred embodiment, films prepared from the compositions described herein have improved bubble stability compared to the ethylene copolymers of the compositions alone as determined by reduced gauge variation, e.g., a gauge variation of 10% or less, preferably 8% or less, preferably 5% or less.

In a preferred embodiment, films prepared from the compositions described herein have excellent optical properties, such as a haze (ASTM D1003) of 20 or less, preferably 15 or less, preferably 10 or less.

In a preferred embodiment, films, preferably blown films, prepared from the blends described herein have one or more of the following properties:

a) 1% Secant Modulus (MD) of greater than 25,000 psi, preferably greater than 27,000; and/or

b) 1% Secant Modulus (TD) of greater than 25,000 psi, preferably greater than 25,000 psi; and/or

c) Tensile Strength at Yield (MD) of greater than 1200 psi, preferably greater than 1300 psi; and/or

d) Tensile Strength at Yield (TD) of greater than 1200 psi, preferably greater than 1400 psi; and/or

e) Elongation at Yield (MD) of 6% or more, preferably 7% or more; and/or

f) Elongation at Yield (TD) of 5% or more, preferably, 6% or more, preferably 7% or more; and/or

g) Tensile Strength (MD) of 7000 psi or more, preferably 7500 psi or more; and/or

h) Tensile Strength (TD) of 7000 psi or more, preferably 7500 psi or more; and/or

i) Elongation at Break (MD) 650% or more, preferably 680% or more; and/or

j) Elongation at Break (TD) 630% or more, preferably 650% or more, preferably 680% or more; and/or

k) Elmendorf Tear (MD) of at least 400 g; and/or

l) Elmendorf Tear (TD) of at least 500 g; and/or

m) Elmendorf Tear (MD) of at least 300 g/mil, preferably at least 325 g/mil; and/or

n) Elmendorf Tear (TD) of at least 400 g/mil, preferably at least 410 g/mil; and/or

o) Dart Drop of at least 300 g, preferably at least 350 g; and/or

p) Dart Drop of at least 200 g/mil, preferably at least 250 g/mil, preferably at least 300 g/mil; and/or

q) Haze of less than 15%, preferably less than 10%, preferably less than 7%, preferably less than 6%; and/or

r) Internal Haze of less than 2%, preferably less than 1.5%; and/or

s) Gauge COV of less than 12%, preferably less than 11%, preferably less than 10%, preferably less than 9%; and/or

t) 5 wt % or less (preferably 4 wt % or less, preferably 3 wt % or less) of xylene insoluble material.

In a preferred embodiment, the films described herein, preferably the blown films, have at least two of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least three of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least four of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least five of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least six of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least seven of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least eight of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least nine of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least ten of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least eleven of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least twelve of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least thirteen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least fourteen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least fifteen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least sixteen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least seventeen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least eighteen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably at least nineteen of the above properties in any combination whatsoever, preferably all twenty of the above properties.

In a preferred embodiment, the blown film has a total haze of 10% or less, a 1% (MD) Secant Modulus of 25,000 psi or more, an MD Tear of 300 g or more, and a Dart Drop of 200 or more g/mil, and TD 1% Secant Modulus of 25,000 psi or more.

In a preferred embodiment, the blown film has a total haze of 10% or less, a Gauge COV of less than 12%, a 1% (MD) Secant Modulus of 25,000 psi or more, an MD Tear of 300 g or more, and a Dart Drop of 200 or more g/mil.

Molded and Extruded Products

The polyethylene composition described above may also be used to prepare molded products in any molding process including, but not limited to, injection molding, gas-assisted injection molding, extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, compression molding, rotational molding, foam molding, thermoforming, sheet extrusion, and profile extrusion. The molding processes are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The compositions described herein may be shaped into desirable end use articles by any suitable means known in the art. Thermoforming, vacuum forming, blow molding, rotational molding, slush molding, transfer molding, wet lay-up or contact molding, cast molding, cold forming matched-die molding, injection molding, spray techniques, profile co-extrusion, or combinations thereof are typically used methods.

Thermoforming is a process of forming at least one pliable plastic sheet into a desired shape. An embodiment of a thermoforming sequence is described; however, this should not be construed as limiting the thermoforming methods useful with the compositions of this invention. First, an extrudate film of the composition of this invention (and any other layers or materials) is placed on a shuttle rack to hold it during heating. The shuttle rack indexes into the oven which pre-heats the film before forming Once the film is heated, the shuttle rack indexes back to the forming tool. The film is then vacuumed onto the forming tool to hold it in place and the forming tool is closed. The forming tool can be either “male” or “female” type tools. The tool stays closed to cool the film and the tool is then opened. The shaped laminate is then removed from the tool. Thermoforming is accomplished by vacuum, positive air pressure, plug-assisted vacuum forming, or combinations and variations of these, once the sheet of material reaches thermoforming temperatures, typically of from 140° C. to 185° C. or higher. A pre-stretched bubble step is used, especially on large parts, to improve material distribution. In one embodiment, an articulating rack lifts the heated laminate towards a male forming tool, assisted by the application of a vacuum from orifices in the male forming tool. Once the laminate is firmly formed about the male forming tool, the thermoformed shaped laminate is then cooled, typically by blowers. Plug-assisted forming is generally used for small, deep drawn parts. Plug material, design, and timing can be critical to optimization of the process. Plugs made from insulating foam avoid premature quenching of the plastic. The plug shape is usually similar to the mold cavity, but smaller and without part detail. A round plug bottom will usually promote even material distribution and uniform side-wall thickness. For a semicrystalline polymer, fast plug speeds generally provide the best material distribution in the part. The shaped laminate is then cooled in the mold. Sufficient cooling to maintain a mold temperature of 30° C. to 65° C. is desirable. The part is below 90° C. to 100° C. before ejection in one embodiment. The shaped laminate is then trimmed of excess laminate material.

Blow molding is another suitable forming means, which includes injection blow molding, multi-layer blow molding, extrusion blow molding, and stretch blow molding, and is especially suitable for substantially closed or hollow objects, such as, for example, gas tanks and other fluid containers. Blow molding is described in more detail in, for example, CONCISE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF POLYMER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (Jacqueline I. Kroschwitz, ed., John Wiley & Sons 1990).

In yet another embodiment of the formation and shaping process, profile co-extrusion can be used. The profile co-extrusion process parameters are as above for the blow molding process, except the die temperatures (dual zone top and bottom) range from 150° C. to 235° C., the feed blocks are from 90° C. to 250° C., and the water cooling tank temperatures are from 10° C. to 40° C.

One embodiment of an injection molding process is described as follows. The shaped laminate is placed into the injection molding tool. The mold is closed and the substrate material is injected into the mold. The substrate material has a melt temperature between 180° C. and 300° C. in one embodiment, from 200° C. and 250° C. in another embodiment, and is injected into the mold at an injection speed of between 2 and 10 seconds. After injection, the material is packed or held at a predetermined time and pressure to make the part dimensionally and aesthetically correct. Typical time periods are from 5 to 25 seconds and pressures from 1,000 kPa to 15,000 kPa. The mold is cooled between 10° C. and 70° C. to cool the substrate. The temperature will depend on the desired gloss and appearance desired. Typical cooling time is from 10 to 30 seconds, depending on part on the thickness. Finally, the mold is opened and the shaped composite article ejected.

Likewise, molded articles may be fabricated by injecting molten polymer blend into a mold that shapes and solidifies the molten polymer into desirable geometry and thickness of molded articles. A sheet may be made either by extruding a substantially flat profile from a die, onto a chill roll, or alternatively by calendering. Sheets will generally be considered to have a thickness of from 10 mils to 100 mils (254 μm to 2540 μm), although sheets may be substantially thicker. Tubing or pipe may be obtained by profile extrusion for uses in medical, potable water, land drainage applications, or the like. The profile extrusion process involves the extrusion of molten polymer through a die. The extruded tubing or pipe is then solidified by chill water or cooling air into a continuous extruded articles. The tubing will generally be in the range of from 0.31 cm to 2.54 cm in outside diameter and have a wall thickness of in the range of from 254 μm to 0.5 cm. The pipe will generally be in the range of from 2.54 cm to 254 cm in outside diameter and have a wall thickness of in the range of from 0.5 cm to 15 cm. Sheets made from the products of an embodiment of a version of the present invention may be used to form containers. Such containers may be formed by thermoforming, solid phase pressure forming, stamping, and other shaping techniques. Sheets may also be formed to cover floors or walls or other surfaces.

In an embodiment of the thermoforming process, the oven temperature is between 160° C. and 195° C., the time in the oven between 10 and 20 seconds, and the die temperature, typically a male die, between 10° C. and 71° C. The final thickness of the cooled (room temperature), shaped laminate is from 10 μm to 6000 μm in one embodiment, from 200 μm to 6000 μm in another embodiment, from 250 μm to 3000 μm in yet another embodiment, and from 500 μm to 1550 μm in yet another embodiment, a desirable range being any combination of any upper thickness limit with any lower thickness limit.

In an embodiment of the injection molding process, wherein a substrate material is injection molded into a tool including the shaped laminate, the melt temperature of the substrate material is between 190° C. and 255° C. in one embodiment and between 210° C. and 250° C. in another embodiment; the fill time from 2 to 10 seconds in one embodiment and from 2 to 8 seconds in another embodiment; and a tool temperature of from 25° C. to 65° C. in one embodiment and from 27° C. and 60° C. in another embodiment. In a desirable embodiment, the substrate material is at a temperature that is hot enough to melt any tie-layer material or backing layer to achieve adhesion between the layers.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the compositions of this invention may be secured to a substrate material using a blow molding operation. Blow molding is particularly useful in such applications as for making closed articles such as fuel tanks and other fluid containers, playground equipment, outdoor furniture, and small enclosed structures.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the steps outlined above may be varied, depending upon the desired result. For example, the extruded sheet of the compositions of this invention may be directly thermoformed or blow molded without cooling, thus skipping a cooling step. Other parameters may be varied as well in order to achieve a finished composite article having desirable features.

In another embodiment, this invention relates to:

1. A polyethylene blend comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′_(vis) value less than 0.75; 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups as determined by ¹H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more, as determined by GPC; and 5) an average number of carbon atoms between branch points of 70 or more as determined by ¹H NMR. 2. The composition of paragraph 1, wherein the modifier has 5 wt % or less of xylene insoluble material. 3. The composition of paragraph 1 or 2, wherein the modifier has a weight average molecular weight between the branch points of 1,000 g/mol or more. 4. The composition of paragraph 1, 2, or 3, wherein the modifier is present at 0.25 wt % to 10 wt %, based upon the weight of the blend. 5. The composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein the polyethylene comprises a copolymer of ethylene and one or more C₃ to C₂₀ alphaolefins and has an M_(w) of 20,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol. 6. The composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein the polyethylene has a density of 0.91 to 0.96 g/cm³. 7. The composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 6, wherein the modifier is present at from 0.1 wt % to 5 wt % (based upon the weight of the blend); the polyethylene has a composition distribution breadth index of 60% or more and a density of 0.90 g/cc or more. 8. The modifier of any of paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein the modifier has a strain-hardening ratio of 2 or more and the blend has a strain hardening ratio of greater than 1.0. 9. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 8, said film having a gauge variation that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a dart impact strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 10. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 9, said film having a gauge variation that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a MD Tear strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 11. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 10, said film having a haze that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a dart impact strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 12. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 11, said film having a haze that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a MD Tear strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 13. A film comprising the composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 12, said film having a haze of 10% or less. 14. A film comprising the composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 13, wherein the film has a haze that is at least 10% less than the haze measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 15. A film comprising the composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 14, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 16. A film comprising the composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 15, wherein the film has a dart impact strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the dart impact strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 17. A film comprising the composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 16, wherein the film has an MD Tear strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the MD Tear strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 18. A film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 17, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has a Dart Drop, in g/mil, that within 30% of the Dart Drop measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 19. A film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 18, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has an MD Tear strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the MD Tear strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 20. A film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 19, wherein the blend composition has a strain hardening ratio that is at least 10% greater than the strain hardening ratio measured on a composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the film has a Dart Drop, in g/mil, that within 30% of the Dart Drop measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 21. A film comprising the blend of any of paragraphs 1 to 20, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has a haze that is at least 10% less than haze measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions. 22. The composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 21 comprising more than 25 wt % (based on the weight of the composition) of one or more ethylene polymers having a g′_(vis) of 0.95 or more and an M_(w) of 20,000 g/mol or more and at least 0.1 wt % of a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier where the modifier has a g′_(vis) of less than 0.75, wherein the ethylene polymer has a g′_(vis) of at least 0.25 units higher than the g′_(vis) of the branched modifier. 23. The composition of any of paragraphs 1 to 22, wherein the modifier has a shear thinning ratio of complex viscosity at a frequency of 0.01 rad/sec to the complex viscosity at a frequency of 398 rad/sec greater than 53.9*I2^((−0.74)), where I2 is the melt index according to ASTM 1238 D, 190° C., 2.16 kg.

Test Methods

Melt Index (MI, also referred to as I2) is measured according to ASTM D1238 at 190° C., under a load of 2.16 kg unless otherwise noted. The units for MI are g/10 min or dg/min.

High Load Melt Index (HLMI, also referred to as I21) is the melt flow rate measured according to ASTM D-1238 at 190° C., under a load of 21.6 kg. The units for HLMI are g/10 min or dg/min.

Melt Index Ratio (MIR) is the ratio of the high load melt index to the melt index, or I21/I2.

Density is measured by density-gradient column, as described in ASTM D1505, on a compression-molded specimen that has been slowly cooled to room temperature (i.e., over a period of 10 minutes or more) and allowed to age for a sufficient time that the density is constant within +/−0.001 g/cm³. The units for density are g/cm³.

Gauge, reported in mils, was measured using a Measuretech Series 200 instrument. The instrument measures film thickness using a capacitance gauge. For each film sample, ten film thickness data points were measured per inch of film as the film was passed through the gauge in a transverse direction. From these measurements, an average gauge measurement was determined and reported. Coefficient of variation (Gauge COV) is used to measure the variation of film thickness in the transverse direction. The Gauge COV is defined as a ratio of the standard deviation to the mean of film thickness. Elmendorf Tear, reported in grams (g) or grams per mil (g/mil), was measured as specified by ASTM D-1922.

Tensile Strength at Yield, Tensile Strength at Break, Ultimate Tensile Strength and Tensile Strength at 50%, 100%, and/or 200% Elongation were measured as specified by ASTM D-882.

Tensile Peak Load was measured as specified by ASTM D-882.

Tensile Energy, reported in inch-pounds (in-lb), was measured as specified by ASTM D-882.

Elongation at Yield and Elongation at Break, reported as a percentage (%), were measured as specified by ASTM D-882.

1% Secant Modulus (M), reported in pounds per square inch (lb/in² or psi), was measured as specified by ASTM D-882.

Haze, reported as a percentage (%), was measured as specified by ASTM D-1003. Internal Haze, reported as a percentage (%), is the haze excluding any film surface contribution. The film surfaces are coated with ASTM approved inert liquids to eliminate any haze contribution from the film surface topology. The internal haze measurement procedure is per ASTM D 1003. Unless otherwise indicated the haze value reported is total haze.

Gloss, a dimensionless number, was measured as specified by ASTM D-2457 at 45 degrees.

Dart Drop Impact or Dart Drop Impact Strength (DIS), reported in grams (g) and/or grams per mil (g/mil), was measured as specified by ASTM D-1709, method A, unless otherwise specified.

“Melt strength” is defined as the force required to draw a molten polymer extrudate at a rate of 12 mm/s² and at an extrusion temperature of 190° C. until breakage of the extrudate whereby the force is applied by take up rollers. The polymer is extruded at a velocity of 0.33 mm/s through an annular die of 2 mm diameter and 30 mm length. Melt strength values reported herein are determined using a Gottfert Rheotens tester and are reported in centi-Newtons (cN). Additional experimental parameters for determining the melt strength are listed in Table 1. For the measurements of melt strength, the resins were stabilized with 500 ppm of Irganox 1076 and 1500 ppm of Irgafos 168.

TABLE 1 Melt Strength test parameters Acceleration 12 mm/s² Temperature 190° C. Piston diameter 12 mm Piston speed 0.178 mm/s Die diameter 2 mm Die length 30 mm Shear rate at the die 40.05 s⁻¹ Strand length 100.0 mm Vo (velocity at die exit) 10.0 mm/s

Dynamic shear melt rheological data was measured with an Advanced Rheometrics Expansion System (ARES) using parallel plates (diameter=25 mm) in a dynamic mode under nitrogen atmosphere. For all experiments, the rheometer was thermally stable at 190° C. for at least 30 minutes before inserting compression-molded sample of resin onto the parallel plates. To determine the samples viscoelastic behavior, frequency sweeps in the range from 0.01 to 385 rad/s were carried out at 190° C. under constant strain. Depending on the molecular weight and temperature, strains of 10% and 15% were used and linearity of the response was verified. A nitrogen stream was circulated through the sample oven to minimize chain extension or cross-linking during the experiments. All the samples were compression molded at 190° C. and no stabilizers were added. A sinusoidal shear strain is applied to the material if the strain amplitude is sufficiently small the material behaves linearly. It can be shown that the resulting steady-state stress will also oscillate sinusoidally at the same frequency but will be shifted by a phase angle δ with respect to the strain wave. The stress leads the strain by δ. For purely elastic materials δ=0° (stress is in phase with strain) and for purely viscous materials, δ=90° (stress leads the strain by 90° although the stress is in phase with the strain rate). For viscoelastic materials, 0<δ<90. The shear thinning slope (STS) was measured using plots of the logarithm (base ten) of the dynamic viscosity versus logarithm (base ten) of the frequency. The slope is the difference in the log(dynamic viscosity) at a frequency of 100 s⁻¹ and the log(dynamic viscosity) at a frequency of 0.01 s⁻¹ divided by 4.

The complex shear viscosity (η*) versus frequency (ω) curves were fitted using the Cross model (see, for example, C. W. Macosco, RHEOLOGY: PRINCIPLES, MEASUREMENTS, AND APPLICATIONS, Wiley-VCH, 1994):

$\eta^{*} = {\frac{\eta_{0}}{1 + \left( {\lambda \; \omega} \right)^{1 - n}}.}$

The three parameters in this model are: η₀, the zero-shear viscosity; λ, the average relaxation time; and n, the power-law exponent. The zero-shear viscosity is the value at a plateau in the Newtonian region of the flow curve at a low frequency, where the dynamic viscosity is independent of frequency. The average relaxation time corresponds to the inverse of the frequency at which shear-thinning starts. The power-law exponent describes the extent of shear-thinning, in that the magnitude of the slope of the flow curve at high frequencies approaches 1−n on a log(η*)-log(ω) plot. For Newtonian fluids, n=1 and the dynamic complex viscosity is independent of frequency. For the polymers of interest here, n<1, so that enhanced shear-thinning behavior is indicated by a decrease in n (increase in 1−n).

The transient uniaxial extensional viscosity was measured using a SER-2-A Testing Platform available from Xpansion Instruments LLC, Tallmadge, Ohio, USA. The SER Testing Platform was used on a Rheometrics ARES-LS (RSA3) strain-controlled rotational rheometer available from TA Instruments Inc., New Castle, Del., USA. The SER Testing Platform is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,578,413 and 6,691,569, which are incorporated herein for reference. A general description of transient uniaxial extensional viscosity measurements is provided, for example, in “Strain hardening of various polyolefins in uniaxial elongational flow,” The Society of Rheology, Inc., J. Rheol. 47(3), 619-630 (2003); and “Measuring the transient extensional rheology of polyethylene melts using the SER universal testing platform,” The Society of Rheology, Inc., J. Rheol. 49(3), 585-606 (2005), incorporated herein for reference. Strain hardening occurs when a polymer is subjected to uniaxial extension and the transient extensional viscosity increases more than what is predicted from linear viscoelastic theory. Strain hardening is observed as abrupt upswing of the extensional viscosity in the transient extensional viscosity vs. time plot. A strain hardening ratio (SHR) is used to characterize the upswing in extensional viscosity and is defined as the ratio of the maximum transient extensional viscosity over three times the value of the transient zero-shear-rate viscosity at the same strain. Strain hardening is present in the material when the ratio is greater than 1.

Comonomer content (such as for butene, hexene, and octene) was determined via FTIR measurements according to ASTM D3900 (calibrated versus ¹³C NMR). A thin homogeneous film of polymer, pressed at a temperature of about 150° C., was mounted on a Perkin Elmer Spectrum 2000 infrared spectrophotometer. The weight percent of copolymer is determined via measurement of the methyl deformation band at ^(˜)1375 cm-1. The peak height of this band is normalized by the combination and overtone band at ^(˜)4321 cm-1, which corrects for path length differences.

Peak melting point, Tm (also referred to as melting point), peak crystallization temperature, Tc (also referred to as crystallization temperature), glass transition temperature (Tg), heat of fusion (AHf or Hf), and percent crystallinity were determined using the following DSC procedure according to ASTM D3418-03. Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) data were obtained using a TA Instruments model Q200 machine. Samples weighing approximately 5-10 mg were sealed in an aluminum hermetic sample pan. The DSC data were recorded by first gradually heating the sample to 200° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute. The sample was kept at 200° C. for 2 minutes and then cooled to −90° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, followed by an isothermal for 2 minutes and heating to 200° C. at 10° C./minute. Both the first and second cycle thermal events were recorded. Areas under the endothermic peaks were measured and used to determine the heat of fusion and the percent of crystallinity. The percent crystallinity is calculated using the formula, [area under the melting peak (Joules/gram)/B (Joules/gram)]*100, where B is the heat of fusion for the 100% crystalline homopolymer of the major monomer component. These values for B are to be obtained from the Polymer Handbook, Fourth Edition, published by John Wiley and Sons, New York 1999, provided; however, that a value of 189 J/g (B) is used as the heat of fusion for 100% crystalline polypropylene, a value of 290 J/g is used for the heat of fusion for 100% crystalline polyethylene. The melting and crystallization temperatures reported here were obtained during the second heating/cooling cycle unless otherwise noted.

For polymers displaying multiple endothermic and exothermic peaks, all the peak crystallization temperatures and peak melting temperatures were reported. The heat of fusion for each endothermic peak was calculated individually. The percent crystallinity is calculated using the sum of heat of fusions from all endothermic peaks. Some of polymer blends produced show a secondary melting/cooling peak overlapping with the principal peak, which peaks are considered together as a single melting/cooling peak. The highest of these peaks is considered the peak melting temperature/crystallization point. For the amorphous polymers, having comparatively low levels of crystallinity, the melting temperature is typically measured and reported during the first heating cycle. Prior to the DSC measurement, the sample was aged (typically by holding it at ambient temperature for a period of 2 days) or annealed to maximize the level of crystallinity.

Unless otherwise stated, polymer molecular weight (weight-average molecular weight, Mw, number-average molecular weight, Mn, and Z-averaged molecular weight, Mz) and molecular weight distribution (M_(w)/M_(n)) are determined using Size-Exclusion Chromatography. Equipment consists of a High Temperature Size Exclusion Chromatograph (either from Waters Corporation or Polymer Laboratories), with a differential refractive index detector (DRI), an online light scattering detector, and a viscometer. Three Polymer Laboratories PLgel 10 mm Mixed-B columns are used. The nominal flow rate is 0.5 cm³/min and the nominal injection volume is 300 μL. The various transfer lines, columns and differential refractometer (the DRI detector) are contained in an oven maintained at 135° C. Solvent for the SEC experiment is prepared by dissolving 6 grams of butylated hydroxy toluene as an antioxidant in 4 liters of reagent grade 1,2,4 trichlorobenzene (TCB). The TCB mixture is then filtered through a 0.7 μm glass pre-filter and subsequently through a 0.1 μm Teflon filter. The TCB is then degassed with an online degasser before entering the SEC.

Polymer solutions are prepared by placing dry polymer in a glass container, adding the desired amount of TCB, then heating the mixture at 160° C. with continuous agitation for about 2 hours. All quantities are measured gravimetrically. The TCB densities used to express the polymer concentration in mass/volume units are 1.463 g/ml at room temperature and 1.324 g/ml at 135° C. The injection concentration can range from 1.0 to 2.0 mg/ml, with lower concentrations being used for higher molecular weight samples.

Prior to running each sample, the DRI detector and the injector are purged. Flow rate in the apparatus is then increased to 0.5 ml/minute, and the DRI allowed to stabilize for 8 to 9 hours before injecting the first sample. The LS laser is turned on 1 to 1.5 hours before running samples.

The concentration, c, at each point in the chromatogram is calculated from the DRI signal after subtracting the prevailing baseline, I_(DRI), using the following equation:

c=K _(DRI) I _(DRI)/(dn/dc)

where K_(DRI) is a constant determined by calibrating the DRI, and (dn/dc) is the same as described below for the LS analysis. The processes of subtracting the prevailing baseline (i.e., background signal) and setting integration limits that define the starting and ending points of the chromatogram are well known to those familiar with SEC analysis. Units on parameters throughout this description of the SEC method are such that concentration is expressed in g/cm³, molecular weight is expressed in g/mole, and intrinsic viscosity is expressed in dL/g.

The light scattering detector is a Wyatt Technology High Temperature mini-DAWN. The polymer molecular weight, M, at each point in the chromatogram is determined by analyzing the LS output using the Zimm model for static light scattering (M. B. Huglin, LIGHT SCATTERING FROM POLYMER SOLUTIONS, Academic Press, 1971):

$\frac{K_{O}c}{\Delta \; {R(\theta)}} = {\frac{1}{{MP}(\theta)} + {2\; A_{2}{c.}}}$

Here, ΔR(θ) is the measured excess Rayleigh scattering intensity at scattering angle θ, c is the polymer concentration determined from the DRI analysis, A₂ is the second virial coefficient, P(θ) is the form factor for a monodisperse random coil (described in the above reference), and K_(o) is the optical constant for the system:

$K_{O} = \frac{4\; \pi^{2}{n^{2}\left( \frac{n}{c} \right)}^{2}}{\lambda^{4}N_{A}}$

in which N_(A) is Avogadro's number, and (dn/dc) is the refractive index increment for the system. The refractive index, n=1.500 for TCB at 135° C. and λ=690 nm. In addition, A₂=0.0015 and (dn/dc)=0.104 for polyethylene in TCB at 135° C.; both parameters may vary with average composition of an ethylene copolymer. Thus, the molecular weight determined by LS analysis is calculated by solving the above equations for each point in the chromatogram; together these allow for calculation of the average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution by LS analysis.

A high temperature Viscotek Corporation viscometer is used, which has four capillaries arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration with two pressure transducers. One transducer measures the total pressure drop across the detector, and the other, positioned between the two sides of the bridge, measures a differential pressure. The specific viscosity for the solution flowing through the viscometer at each point in the chromatogram, (η_(s))_(i), is calculated from the ratio of their outputs. The intrinsic viscosity at each point in the chromatogram, [η]_(i), is calculated by solving the following equation (for the positive root) at each point i:

(η_(s))_(i) =c _(i)[η]_(i)+0.3(c _(i)[η]_(i))²

where c_(i) is the concentration at point i as determined from the DRI analysis.

The branching index (g′_(vis)) is calculated using the output of the SEC-DRI-LS-VIS method (described above) as follows. The average intrinsic viscosity, [η]_(avg), of the sample is calculated by:

$\lbrack\eta\rbrack_{avg} = \frac{\sum{c_{i}\lbrack\eta\rbrack}_{i}}{\sum c_{i}}$

where the summations are over the chromatographic slices, i, between the integration limits. The branching index g′ is defined as:

$g_{vis}^{\prime} = \frac{\lbrack\eta\rbrack_{avg}}{{kM}_{v}^{\alpha}}$

where the Mark-Houwink parameters k and α are given by k=0.00592, a=0.463. The hydrogenated polybutadiene based modifier can be represented as a butane copolymer for these calculations with 12% butene. M_(v) is the viscosity-average molecular weight based on molecular weights determined by LS analysis.

Experimental and analysis details not described above, including how the detectors are calibrated and how to calculate the composition dependence of Mark-Houwink parameters and the second-virial coefficient, are described by T. Sun, P. Brant, R. R. Chance, and W. W. Graessley (Macromolecules, 2001 volume 34(19), pages 6812-6820).

Proton NMR spectra were collected using a 500 MHz Varian pulsed fourier transform NMR spectrometer equipped with a variable temperature proton detection probe operating at 120° C. The polymer sample is dissolved in 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane-d2 (TCE-d2) and transferred into a 5 mm glass NMR tube. Typical acquisition parameters are sweep width=10 KHz, pulse width=30 degrees, acquisition time=2 s, acquisition delay=5 s and number of scans=120. Chemical shifts are determined relative to the TCE-d2 signal which is set to 5.98 ppm.

In conducting the ¹³C NMR investigations, samples are prepared by adding about 0.3 g sample to approximately 3 g of tetrachloroethane-d2 in a 10 mm NMR tube. The samples are dissolved and homogenized by heating the tube and its contents to 150° C. The data are collected using a Varian spectrometer, with corresponding ¹H frequencies of either 400 or 700 MHz (in event of conflict, 700 MHz shall be used). The data are acquired using nominally 4000 transients per data file with a about a 10 second pulse repetition delay. To achieve maximum signal-to-noise for quantitative analysis, multiple data files may be added together. The spectral width was adjusted to include all the NMR resonances of interest and FIDs were collected containing a minimum of 32K data points. The samples are analyzed at 120° C. in a 10 mm broad band probe.

Where applicable, the properties and descriptions below are intended to encompass measurements in both the machine and transverse directions. Such measurements are reported separately, with the designation “MD” indicating a measurement in the machine direction, and “TD” indicating a measurement in the transverse direction.

EXAMPLES

All reactions in the following examples were performed using as-received starting materials without any purification.

Example 1

A reaction flask was charged with trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) and cyclooctene (COE) at a molar ratio of 10:1143. An appropriate amount of dichloromethane (DCM) was then added to make the concentration of COE as 0.4 M. The solution was stirred by a magnetic stirrer. A small volume of Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst solution in DCM (1 milliliter) was prepared and injected into the stirred monomer solution. The reaction mixture was stirred at 40° C. under slow nitrogen flow for 16 hours before it was quenched by several drops of ethyl vinyl ether. Silica gel was then added and the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. The reaction mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated followed by precipitation to methanol. The reaction scheme is shown in FIG. 2. The polymer product obtained after filtration and drying as an off-white solid with high yields. The structure of the polymer was determined by ¹H NMR as shown in FIG. 3. In this Example, a series of catalyst loadings ([COE/Catalyst] varied from 54 to 3456) were examined and the relationships between linker length, insertion efficiency (measured by T3/T2) and catalyst loading are illustrated in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 3, ¹H NMR clearly shows the signature pair of protons e and d, indicating the new double bond formed between the acrylic connector and polycyclooctene linker. No homocoupled acrylic connectors were observed. There was a small amount of unreacted acrylic double bonds, implying some acrylic connectors were partially inserted into the linkers (T2) and some were at the chain ends (T1). A full insertion means all the three double bonds of a TMPTA molecule were reacted (T3) and it is the desired pathway to dendritic structures. The average linker length was calculated by the integral ratio of protons f and d. It is unable to distinguish T1 and T2 from ¹H NMR. In order to estimate the insertion efficiency, an assumption was made that all the partially inserted TMPTA molecules were T2-type. The T3/T2 ratio was then used as the indication of insertion efficiency. Higher T3/T2 means more fully inserted connectors and thus more completed dendritic structures. This is a conservative estimation because less T1 (a T1 moiety has 2 unreacted acrylic double bonds) is needed to account for the same amount of terminal acrylic double bonds than T2 (a T2 moiety has only 1 unreacted acrylic double bond). If the insertion efficiency is calculated as T3/(T2+T1), the value will be higher than T3/T2.

Example 2

The series of reactions performed in this Example demonstrates that one can control the average linker length and insertion efficiency simply by adjusting the catalyst loading. As illustrated in FIG. 4, linker length increases along with the decrease of catalyst loading. At the same time, a high full insertion ratio can be achieved at a certain catalyst loading. The relationships shown in FIG. 4 can also guide the synthesis of dendritic structures with desired linker length and dendritic generation (or degree of hyperbranching).

A reaction flask was charged with 60 mmol cyclooctene (COE), 0.363 mmol pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA), and 20 milliliters of toluene. The solution was stirred by a magnetic stirrer. A small volume of 85 milligrams of Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst solution in toluene (1 milliliter) was prepared and injected into the stirred monomer solution. The reaction mixture was stirred at 60° C. under slow nitrogen flow for 16-48 hours before it was quenched by several drops of ethyl vinyl ether. During the synthesis, no gels were formed. A small amount of reaction mixture was taken out by syringe and dried for NMR and GPC analyses. To the same reaction flask, excess p-toluenesulfonhydrazide (TSH, normally 3 equivalents to olefins), 10-40 milligrams butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), and 150 milliliters toluene were added. The mixture was heated to reflux followed by an injection of excess tri-n-propylamine (TPA, normally 3 equivalents to olefins). After refluxing for 4 hours, the mixture was poured into 1.5 liter methanol while it was still hot. The white precipitate was filtered and washed with 100 milliliters of methanol three times. The reaction scheme is shown in FIG. 5. The fully hydrogenated dendritic polyethylene, DPEY, was obtained as white solid with high yields. The polymer before hydrogenation was soluble in CDCl₃ at room temperature and the polymer after hydrogenation was soluble in o-dichlorobenzene-d₄ (o-DCB-d₄) at elevated temperatures (100° C.). The two ¹H NMR spectra were stacked in FIG. 6 for comparison.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the unsaturated polymer (top/red spectrum), PETA molecules were almost all fully inserted, indicated by protons a and b, and negligible unreacted terminal acrylic double bonds. After hydrogenation (bottom/blue spectrum), all the alkene protons disappeared and ester linkages preserved. GPC analysis showed the unsaturated polymer had an Mw of 246,000 g/mol and Mw/Mn of 12.6 (refractive index detector with reference to polyisobutylene standards), and the fully hydrogenated dendritic polyethylene, DPEY, had an Mw of 200,000 g/mol and Mw/Mn of 10 (light scattering detector with reference to linear polyethylene standards). The branching index g′ of DPEY was found to be 0.42 by GPC-3D, suggesting a highly branched structure. The mass recovery of GPC was nearly quantitative, indicating no gel presence in the synthesis. Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed the melting point of the DPEY was 128° C. and its crystallinity was 66%. This synthesis can be scaled up to kilogram scale by utilizing large reaction vessel and mechanical stirrer.

The same reaction performed by utilizing a mechanical stirrer yielded a dendritic PE with the same chemical composition but higher molecular weight and lower branching index. The fully hydrogenated dendritic polyethylene, DPEY2, synthesized by mechanical stirring had Mw of 327,000 g/mol (light scattering detector with reference to linear polyethylene standards). Its branching index g′ was determined to be 0.31 by GPC-3D, indicating an even higher branched structure. DSC showed the melting point of DPEY2 is 127° C. and its crystallinity is 67%.

The dendritic PEs demonstrated excellent thermal stability confirmed by both Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and rheology. As shown in the FIG. 7, DPEY2 exhibits extensional hardening with a large strain hardening ratio (SHR) of 30.

The same reaction performed by utilizing a mechanical stirrer and a blend of toluene and THF as solvent (1:1 v/v ratio), rather than toluene alone, yielded a dendritic PE with the same chemical composition but higher molecular weight and lower branching index. The fully hydrogenated dendritic polyethylene, DPEY3, had Mw of 222,000 g/mol (light scattering detector with reference to linear polyethylene standards). Its branching index g′ was determined to be 0.35 by GPC-3D, indicating an even higher branched structure. DSC showed the melting point of DPEY3 is 127° C. and its crystallinity is 66%.

Example 3

A reaction flask was charged with 12 mmol cyclooctene (COE), 48 mmol 1,5-dimethylcyclooctadiene (DMCOD), 0.363 mmol tetraacrylate PETA, and 17 milliliters of toluene. The solution was stirred by a magnetic stirrer. A small volume of 85 milligrams of Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst solution in toluene (1 milliliter) was prepared and injected into the stirred monomer solution. The reaction mixture was stirred at 60° C. under slow nitrogen flow for 16-48 hours before it was quenched by several drops of ethyl vinyl ether. Silica gel was then added and the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. The reaction mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated followed by precipitation to methanol. The reaction scheme is shown in FIG. 10. The polymer product was received after filtration and drying as an off-white gummy solid with high yields. The structure of the polymer was determined by ¹H NMR as shown in FIG. 11. GPC analysis showed the unsaturated polymer had Mw of 116 kDa and PDI of 7.6 (refractive index detector with reference to polyisobutylene standards). DSC showed no obvious melting point. As shown in FIG. 11, ¹H NMR confirmed almost all the PETA connectors were fully inserted into the copolymer of COE and DMCOD. After hydrogenation, an amorphous 50/50 (wt/wt) dendritic EP copolymer is expected and can be used as a viscosity index improver in lubricant oils. The synthesis can be scaled up to kilogram scale by utilizing large reaction vessel and mechanical stirrer. To make amorphous dendritic POs, cyclic olefins other than DMCOD, such as norbornene or its derivatives, can be employed.

The properties of the Modifiers are described in Table A.

TABLE A Linker Mw crystallinity length Modifier (g/mol) Mw/Mn g′ Tm (° C.) (%) (g/mol) Example 2* 246,000 12.6 DPEY 200,000 10 0.42 128 66 12,000 DPEY2 327,000 9 0.31 127 67 12,000 Example 3* 116,000 7.6 DPEY3 222,000 10 0.35 127 66 8,000 *not hydrogenated

Polyethylene Blends—1

When Exceed™ Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) 2018 was blended with DPEY2 at 1 wt % and 3 wt %, extensional hardening was found in the blends, as shown in FIG. 8, in contrast to the observation that no extensional hardening can be seen in Exceed™ LLDPE 2018 alone. DSC traces of DPEY, Exceed™ LLDPE and blends of Exceed containing 1% DPEY are shown in FIG. 9. Addition of DPEY to Exceed™ LLDPE 2018 at 1% did not alter or affect the LLDPE crystallization behavior. Both DPEY and DPEY2 are miscible and compatible with LLDPE and are able to co-crystallize with LLDPE. The blends were made as follows:

The dendritic PE modifier, DPEY or DPEY2, prepared as described above, was blended with Exceed™ 2018 Polyethylene (a linear m-LLDPE, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston Tex., 0.918 g/cc, MI of 2 dg/min (190° C., 2.16 kg), Mw of about 94,000 g/mol, an Mw/Mn of about 2, g′ vis of 0.97, a hexene content of about 6.0 wt %, and a CDBI of about 82% to 85%) using a DSM twin-screw miniature extrusion mixer running at 180° C. to 185° C., 50 RPM, and for 3 minutes. 0.1 wt % of BHT stabilizer was added. The blend was compression molded at 190° C. for 10 minutes at 1St to prepare testing plaques. A SER2 (Sentmanat Extensional Rheometer 2) attachment on an ARES rheometer was used to measure the extensional strain hardening of these plaques at 150° C. Strain hardening could be found for the blend sample containing the modifier in contrast to the observation that no extensional hardening can be seen in Exceed™ 2018 Polyethylene.

Polyethylene Blends—2

Prior to blowing film, the minor component and matrix polyethylene were compounded in a 1″ Haake twin screw extruder. The Haake twin screw extruder was set at 50 rpm and the melt temperature was targeted at 190° C. The blown film experiments were conducted on a Haake blown film line containing a 1″ single screw extruder and a 1″ mono-layer blown film die. The single screw has a Maddock mixing session. The pure resin or the blends were fed into the 1″ single screw extruder to be melted and homogenized. The molten polymer was pressurized and fed into a 1″ tubular die. The annular die forms an annular shape with the molten polymer melt with even flow distribution around its circumference. Upon exiting the die lip, two streams of air were introduced to blow the polymer melt into a tubular form, commonly called a bubble, and subsequently to cool the thin film. One stream of air was introduced in the center of the die to inflate the bubble to a certain diameter, or blowup ratio (BUR). The BUR is defined as:

BUR=2×L/(π×D)

where D is the die diameter and L is the film bubble lay flat width.

For all the experiments, the BUR is the same and is set at 2.8. The film gauge is 1.5 mil. (The film had a lay flat of 4.4 inches (11.2 cm), an extruder speed of 33 rpm, and extrusion temperatures in zones 1, 2, 3, and 5 (die) were 190° C., 195° C., 190° C., and 185° C., respectively.)

The tube or bubble collapsed after reaching the two up-nip rollers. The nip rollers are driven by a motor with varied speeds. The film was solidified prior to reach the up-nip rollers. The film was collected after passing through the up-nip rollers. The thickness of the film is controlled by speed of the nip rollers.

A comparative blend/film of Exceed™ 2018 PE combined with 5 wt % LDPE (ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, Tex. LD071.LR™ PE, 0.924 g/cc, 0.70 dg/min, 190° C., 2.16 kg) and 0.1 wt % BHT was also prepared under the conditions described above (referred to as Blend C). The blend compositions and film properties are listed in Table 1. The 1% modifier blends produce gel-free films with the excellent optics. The haze value is reduced from 43.2% for Exceed™ 2018 PE to 5.9% for the blend. One of the blown film processability measurements is the film gauge variation as measured by the coefficient of variation (COV). Blend B shows lower gauge COV compared to Blend A. Blend B also retains most of the mechanical properties except dart impact strength, which is lower than Blend A but higher than the Exceed™ 2018 PE blend with 5% LDPE. Although the 5% LDPE blend improved the gauge COV and optical properties, the dart impact strength was reduced significantly.

TABLE 1 Blend A Blend B Blend C Blend D Exceed ™ LLDPE 2018 99.9 wt % 98.9 wt % 94.9 wt % 98.9 wt % Modifier 0 wt % 1 wt % DPEY LDPE 5 wt % 1 wt % DPEY2 BHT 0.1 wt %  0.1 wt %  0.1 wt %  0.1 wt % 1% Secant Modulus (MD) psi 25,986 27,453 28940 25847 1% Secant Modulus (TD) psi 23,729 30,751 28503 28711 Tensile Strength at Yield (MD) psi 1212 1306 1304 1371 Tensile Strength at Yield(TD) psi 1211 1473 1396 1575 Elongation at Yield (MD) % 6 7.4 6 7 Elongation at Yield (TD) % 5 6.7 6 7 Tensile Strength (MD) psi 8437 7675 7564 7505 Tensile Strength (TD) psi 7647 7157 7326 7782 Elongation at Break (MD) % 686 687 697 682 Elongation at Break (TD) % 677 643 664 678 Elmendorf Tear (MD) g 456 417 Elmendorf Tear (TD) g 523 Elmendorf Tear (MD) g/mil 338 333 259 367 Elmendorf Tear (TD) g/mil 414 414 437 Dart Drop (g) 517 365 Dart Drop (g/mil) 410 304 230 203 Haze (%) 43.2 5.9 16.7 5.7 Internal Haze (%) 1.4 Gauge COV (%) 12.5 9.125 7.1 8.4

When the molecular weight of the modifier was increased from 200,000 g/mol to 327,000 g/mol, the 1% modifier (DPEY2) blend exhibited improved MD/TD tear properties. Both MD tear and TD tear were improved by 5-9% in comparison to neat Exceed™ 2018 PE film, while the MD tear of 5% LDPE blend was reduced by 23% in comparison to neat Exceed™ 2018 PE film.

It was also observed that the 100% Exceed™ 2018 PE bubble was unstable while the bubble with 1% addition of Modifier, DPEY, or DPEY2 was stable.

All documents described herein are incorporated by reference herein for purposes of all jurisdictions where such practice is allowed, including any priority documents, related applications, and/or testing procedures to the extent they are not inconsistent with this text, provided however that any priority document not named in the initially filed application or filing documents is NOT incorporated by reference herein. As is apparent from the foregoing general description and the specific embodiments, while forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereby. Likewise, the term “comprising” is considered synonymous with the term “including” for purposes of Australian law. Likewise whenever a composition, an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase “comprising,” it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition or group of elements with transitional phrases “consisting essentially of,” “consisting of,” “selected from the group of consisting of,” or “is” preceding the recitation of the composition, element, or elements and vice versa. 

1. A polyethylene blend comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′_(vis) value less than 0.75; 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups as determined by ¹H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more, as determined by GPC; and 5) an average number of carbon atoms between branch points of 70 or more as determined by ¹H NMR.
 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the modifier has 5 wt % or less of xylene insoluble material.
 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the modifier has a weight average molecular weight between the branch points of 1,000 g/mol or more.
 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the modifier is present at 0.25 wt % to 10 wt %, based upon the weight of the blend.
 5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene comprises a copolymer of ethylene and one or more C₃ to C₂₀ alphaolefins and has an M_(w) of 20,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol.
 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene has a density of 0.91 to 0.96 g/cm³.
 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the modifier is present at from 0.1 wt % to 5 wt % (based upon the weight of the blend), and the polyethylene has a composition distribution breadth index of 60% or more and a density of 0.90 g/cc or more.
 8. The modifier of claim 1, wherein the modifier has a strain-hardening ratio of 2 or more and the blend has a strain hardening ratio of greater than 1.0.
 9. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of claim 1, said film having a gauge variation that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a dart impact strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 10. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of claim 1, said film having a gauge variation that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a MD Tear strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 11. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of claim 1, said film having a haze that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a dart impact strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 12. A polyethylene film comprising the blend of claim 1, said film having a haze that is at least 10% lower than that of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions and a MD Tear strength that is within 20% of a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 13. A film comprising the composition of claim 1, said film having a haze of 10% or less.
 14. A film comprising the composition of claim 1, wherein the film has a haze that is at least 10% less than the haze measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 15. A film comprising the composition of claim 1, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 16. A film comprising the composition of claim 1, wherein the film has a dart impact strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the dart impact strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 17. A film comprising the composition of claim 1, wherein the film has an MD Tear strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the MD Tear strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 18. A film comprising the blend of claim 1, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has a Dart Drop, in g/mil, that within 30% of the Dart Drop measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 19. A film comprising the blend of claim 11, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has an MD Tear strength that is greater than or within 30% less than the MD Tear strength measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 20. A film comprising the blend of claim 1, wherein the blend composition has a strain hardening ratio that is at least 10% greater than the strain hardening ratio measured on a composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the film has a Dart Drop, in g/mil, that within 30% of the Dart Drop measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 21. A film comprising the blend of claim 1, wherein the film has a gauge variation that is at least 10% less than the gauge variation measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions, and the film has a haze that is at least 10% less than haze measured on a film of the same thickness and of the same composition, absent the dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier, prepared under the same conditions.
 22. The composition of claim 1 comprising more than 25 wt % (based on the weight of the composition) of one or more ethylene polymers having a g′_(vis) of 0.95 or more and an M_(w) of 20,000 g/mol or more and at least 0.1 wt % of a dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifier where the modifier has a g′_(vis) of less than 0.75, wherein the ethylene polymer has a g′_(vis) of at least 0.25 units higher than the g′_(vis) of the branched modifier.
 23. The composition of claim 1, wherein the modifier has a shear thinning ratio of complex viscosity at a frequency of 0.01 rad/sec to the complex viscosity at a frequency of 398 rad/sec greater than 53.9*I2^((−0.74)), where I2 is the melt index according to ASTM 1238 D, 190° C., 2.16 kg. 